China has seen a steady increase in its forest coverage - expected to reach 23 percent by the end of the year - amid efforts to improve the environment, a senior official said on Tuesday.

Zhang Jianlong, deputy head of the State Forestry Administration, said the goal is a conservative one and will be reached.

"The forest area stands at 208 million hectares and forest coverage is 21.63 percent," Zhang said at a news conference held by the State Council's Information Office. "The quality of forests has been improved.

"The forest coverage ratio was measured two years ago, so as planned we will easily achieve the goal of 23 percent."

Forest coverage stood at 18.21 percent in 2006, according to the administration.

"China has been promoting afforestation projects in recent years," said Zhang. "It is estimated that 29.6 million hectares of forests will be established and 38.8 million hectares of forests will be tended during the 12th Five Year Plan period (2011-15)."

Zhang said upcoming priorities are to strengthen ecological development and nature conservation, reform the timber industry, push forward the Natural Forest Protection Program and start a new round of initiatives to convert farmland to forests.

Li Nuyun, secretary-general of the China Green Carbon Foundation, part of the administration, said major national programs have contributed to the steady growth of forest coverage.

"Since the 1970s, China has attached great importance to forestry and conducted several dozen programs," said Li. "However, the quality of China's forests still lags behind those in developed countries."

Hu Yong, an ecology professor at Beijing Forestry University, said the government should encourage the involvement of the private sector.

"If we look at the successful experience of developed countries, we find that they encouraged the public to participate by outsourcing forestry to private companies," said Hu.

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