More than 21,000 hectares of Beijing’s outskirts had been covered by greenery as of May 2, according to the city authorities.

The figure accounts for more than 90 percent of the city’s 2013 afforestation plan.

So far, 15 million trees have been planted ahead of the end of the spring afforestation project on May 10, according to the Beijing Landscape and Forestry Bureau.

The city plans to turn a further 23,300 hectares of barren and uncultivated land into green fields this year.

A total 66,670 hectares of wasteland are expected to be converted into green belts and form a stronger antipollution barrier by the end of 2016, the bureau said.