Shannan has a forest area of 1.55 million hectares, accounting for 5 percent of the regional total. Forestry reserves total some 38.8 billion cubic meters and are mainly distributed in the southeast. Shannan is also home to a rich variety of plants. There are a thousand varieties of trees, fine quality and precious woods and many famous and valuable medicinal plants.

Since 1959, the Shannan people have persisted in planting trees every year. More than 30 years of efforts have created vast shelter forests and timber stands. An aggregate of 1,300 afforested areas has been developed. The reforested areas among cultivated fields totals some 667 hectares. There are 10,000 hectares of tract forest, with 16 million trees. Areas currently devoted to seedlings account for 36.6 hectares.

Beginning in 1987, the State has invested huge sums in the cultivation of a 25-kilometer-long forest belt north of Zetang Town and along the southern bank of the Yarlung Zangbo River. The belt has played an important role in preventing wind and sand storms, as well as soil erosion. It has reinforced dykes, improved and beautified the environment in and around Zetang Town.

Rapid development has been registered in fruit cultivation. Since 1965, more than 20 varieties of fruit trees have been introduced from the hinterland. In 1975 and 1980, Gyaca County's yellow apples won first prize in the Southwest Regional Apple Evaluations. By the end of 1997, the prefecture had set up over 30 apple orchards and had planted some 200 hectares with 30,000 fruit trees. They now produce approximately 1,000 tons of fruit annually.

                                                   (reship fron en.tibet.cn)