Forest Park among many projects to green city

(BEIJING, June 18) -- More than 160 Olympic greening projects, which cover 1,026 hectares, are in their final stages, according to Dong Ruilong, head of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Landscape and Forestry, reported The First.

Among these projects, landscaping of Beijing's Olympic Forest Park is nearly complete. It took almost three years, but more than 530,000 plants representing 180 varieties now decorate the 680-hectare park -- the largest manmade green space in the nation's capital.

All this greenery will play a part in creating fresh air by absorbing 7,200 tons of carbon dioxide and 32 tons of sulfur dioxide and releasing 4,500 tons of oxygen.

While a portion of the park will be accessible only by athletes and officials, city residents will have an opportunity to enjoy the rest of the park during the Olympics.