Tourists visit the Badaling Great Wall in Beijing, capital of China, Oct 23, 2016.[Photo/Xinhua]

THE FORESTRY Bureau in Laishui county, North China's Hebei province, uses poisoned bait to kill mice, rats, rabbits and hares to protect local woods. There must be better ways to care for the forests, says Beijing News:

Environmental experts warn the poison may harm other wild animals, too, and it is a threat to both the ecological balance in the province and humans.

Because of the lack of predators, it is necessary to control the number of small mammals that are damaging the forests. But, having said that, the forestry bureau needs to carefully assess the environmental impact of using poisoned bait and consider whether it is the best means of pest control.

If it does use poison, the bureau needs to be prudent and choose the least toxic poison that is effective. It should also identify the ranges where the animals are being most destructive. To prevent any accidents, local residents must be kept informed of the areas where poisoned bait is being used and warned to keep livestock away.

While it is easy to bring down the number of pests by poisoning, it should be borne in mind that herbivores are important parts of the local biosystem. It is wrong to simply try and exterminate them.

Instead, the bureau may think of introducing some small predators to conserve the ecological equilibrium in a more environmentally friendly way.