As China awaits the outcomes that will emerge from the nation's two most significant political gatherings, to be held during the first week of March, the government's commitment to environmental conservation continues with a recognition of the value of forests.
Commercial logging is the prime target for the authorities, as the State Forestry Administration seeks to put a stop to the 49.94 million cubic meters of timber that are produced on a daily basis.
The administration's head, Zhao Shucong, spoke with reporters from the state-run People's Daily newspaper on Wednesday and relayed the success of a trial campaign that was launched in April of 2014.
The Heilongjiang Province in northeast China was the target of last year's trial and its extension will also include an expansion into the north and northeast of China over the course of 2015.
The effectiveness of the government's actions mean that approximately 2.56 million cubic meters of timber will not leave state forests.
Rather than the green aspirations of President Xi Jinping's office, the massive floods in 1998, which led to the loss of over 3,000 lives and affected 223 million Chinese nationals, were the impetus for the Natural Forest Protection Project.
Officials hope that artificial forests become the primary source of the country's timber supplies by the time 2016 comes to a close. Zhao said that the ultimate decision on the logging ban will also be made at around that time.
Almost 1.27 million square kilometers of natural forest are currently protected, while about 710,000 square kilometers of forest area remains unprotected. Based on the regulations outlined in the protection plan, authorities will protect all natural forests, including building protection zones and park areas.
Remuneration has also been identified as a contributing factor, as, on average, forestry staff received an annual salary of around 27,000 yuan in 2013, which was reportedly 50 percent of the nation's average standard at the time.
In addition to implementing the natural forests protection rules, after feedback from regional authorities is received, the authorities plan to increase the salaries of employees in the sector.