China has abundant forest reserves, with young- and medium-aged forests accounting for 67 percent of total forested area, SFA statistics showed.
Xiao said the impact of the weather wouldn't affect biodiversity in general but regional losses were unavoidable. The hardest-hit areas would probably experience a decrease in biodiversity and an increase in water run-off and landslides, as well as forest fires and pests, Xiao said.
He also called for the establishment of a forestry insurance system.
The administration warned against increasing forest fire risks, saying that toppled trees and dry weather after the unseasonable winter storms might create the conditions for devastating fires. Zhu cited the example of the hard-hit Jiangxi Province, which has already experienced 17 forest fires since the storms.
He said that the administration would work closely with meteorological departments to monitor the situation and work out responses.
