Changsha county plans to build nine new public parks in the downtown area, as part of its second three-year "green city" plan, initiated at a meeting held on Jan 9.

Officials detail the achievements of the last three-year "green city" plan and set new goals for next three years at a meeting held in Changsha county on Jan 9. [Photo by Zeng Shiyi/csxrmt.com]

County officials set the goals of creating an extra 180 hectares of green space in urban areas as well as building 50 community parks in rural areas.

By the end of 2019, the county expects its forest coverage rate to reach 50.6 percent, up 0.6 percent. Trees and shrubs will also be planted alongside some 440 kilometers of the county's roads.

"We have carried out a lot of research and decided to add parks according to elements such as population density," said an official from the local urban management bureau.

Changsha county has made notable progress in creating more green space in the past three years. As of the end of 2016, Changsha has invested 2.5 billion yuan ($359 million) in 53 green projects and planted about 4.5 million trees.

A 7.9-km green belt is a public park in the Changsha National Economic and Technical Development Zone. [Photo by Zheng Jun/csxrmt.com]