Chapter III Afforestation, Management, Protection, Inspection and Acceptance

Article 24The people's governments at the county level or the people's governments at the township level entrusted thereby shall sign contracts for conversion of farmland to forests with land management contractors assigned with tasks of conversion of farmland to forests.

The contract for conversion of farmland to forests shall include the following main contents:

(1) region and its area of the farmland to be converted to forests, and the region and its area of the wasteland and barren hills suitable for afforestation;

(2) pattern of the farmland conversion as defined in the operation design;

(3) survival rate of planted seedlings and the rate of up-to-standard planted area;

(4) management and protection responsibilities;

(5) the norm and time of subsidy, as well as the methods of disbursement of funds and grain subsidy;

(6) methods and contents of technical guidance and technical service;

(7) seed and seedling sources and the way of supply;

(8) liability for breach of contracts; and

(9) duration of fulfillment of the contract.

The contents of the contract for conversion of farmland to forests shall not contravene these Regulations and other provisions of the State on conversion of farmland to forests.

Article 25The seeds and seedlings required for conversion of farmland to forests may be purchased by the people's governments at the county level in the way of centralized purchase in the light of their respective actual conditions, or by those who convert their farmland to forests on their own. In case of centralized purchase, opinions of those who convert their farmland to forests shall be solicited and taken into consideration, the way of open bidding shall be adopted, and written contracts shall be signed. The extra cost exceeding the State standard of subsidy for seed and seedling for afforestation shall not be forcedly collected from those who convert their farmland to forest.

No unit or individual may designate seed and seedling providers for those who convert their farmland to forests.

The monopoly of seeds and seedlings and the bidding up of seed and seedling prices are prohibited.

Article 26The seeds and seedlings used for conversion of farmland to forests shall be produced locally and redistributed to adjacent areas, and priority shall be given to indigenous species and superb seeds and seedlings with high resistance properties in the selection of seeds and seedlings.

Article 27The competent administrative departments for forestry and agriculture shall improve technical guidance for production of seeds and seedlings and strengthen the management of service to ensure the quality of the seeds and seedlings.

The seeds and seedlings sold and supplied for conversion of farmland to forests shall pass the inspection by the competent administrative departments for forestry and agriculture of the people's governments at the country level, and be attached with labels and quality inspection certificates; those redistributed across counties shall also acquire quarantine certificates according to law.

Article 28The people's governments of the provinces, autonomous regions or municipalities directly under the Central Government shall strengthen the construction of seed and seedling production bases and seed collection bases in accordance with the planning for conversion of farmland to forests within their respective administrative areas.

The State encourages the multiple ways of seed and seedling production and industrialized management taken by enterprises and individuals.

Article 29Those who convert their farmland to forests shall plant trees and grass in accordance with the provisions of the operation design and the contract.

Intercropping grain crops in between trees or acts of damaging the existing tree and grass vegetation are prohibited.

Article 30Those who convert their farmland to forests shall afforest barren hills and wasteland suitable for afforestation in accordance with the provisions of the operation design and the contract during the period when they receive the funds and grain subsidy.

Article 31The people's government at the county level shall establish the system for vegetation management and protection of converted farmland in order to fulfill the management and protection duties.

Those who convert their farmland to forests shall perform the obligation of management and protection.

Reclamation of converted farmland in the areas designated for conversion of farmland to forests and conduction of the activities in such areas which are likely to damage surface vegetation, such as illegal felling or digging, are prohibited.

Article 32The local people's governments at all levels and their subordinate departments concerned shall assign technical extension units or technical staff for the provision of technical guidance and technical service to conversion of farmland to forests.

Article 33The competent forestry administrative departments of the people's governments at the county level shall inspect and accept the project of conversion of farmland to forests in accordance with the standard and methods for inspection and acceptance set by the competent forestry administrative department of the State Council, and acceptance certificate shall be granted if the results of inspection are up to the standard.

Article 34The people's governments of the provinces, autonomous regions or municipalities directly under the Central Government shall execute reexamination on the outcome of the county-level inspection and acceptance of conversion of farmland to forests, and offer reward to or impose punishment on the county-level people's governments and the responsible persons concerned according to the outcome of the reexamination.

The competent forestry administrative department of the State Council shall review the outcome of the provincial-level reexamination, and report to the State Council the findings of its review.