More than 400,000 Casuarina trees were planted in Pingtan, Fujian province, in the past two weeks, Pingtan Times reported on Wednesday, April 17.

"All 800 workers planted trees from 6am to 5pm without a break," said Mr. Zhang, the team leader, "in order to finish planting on time."

The Casuarina trees cover 133.33 hectares of sand in Xingfuyang (Happiness Ocean), a land reclamation project that will be developed into a business zone in the future.

The survival rate of trees on sand silt ground is not very high as reclaimed land from the sea is very salty, said Zhang.

The local forestry bureau said that they have drawn from last year’s experience when they planted Casuarina trees on 66.67 hectares of sand.

"We should hurry up and grow the trees before rainy season comes," said Lin Nuanyong, deputy director of the forestry bureau. "The rain will wash away the salt and help more trees survive."

"We chose strong, saline-alkali tolerant seedlings and increased the planting density in an optimized layout," said Mr. Chen, who works in the bureau.

The trees proved effective not only in wind prevention and sand fixation, but also in protecting the adjacent environment. They play an important role in future construction in the area, said Lin Qingxing, director of the bureau.

Edited by Chen Zhilin and Michael Thai