1998年,长江流域及北方的嫩江、松花江流域的特大洪水让中国经济损失惨重,也让中国深刻体会到了植被遭到破坏后的生态之痛。自此,中国开始退耕还林。这项重点工程是世界上投资最大、造林面积最多、政策性最强、涉及面最广、群众参与程度最高的一项重大生态建设工程,是世界生态建设史上的一大创举。 In 1998, the extraordinary floods in the Yangtze River and northwestern Nenjiang and Songhua River valleys caused heavy losses to China’s economy and made China deeply aware of the ecological pain after the vegetation was destroyed. Since then, China started returning farmland to forests. This major project is a major ecological construction project with the largest investment in the world, the largest afforestation area, the strongest policies, the most extensive coverage and the highest participation of the masses. It is a major initiative in the history of ecological construction in the world.