A woman walks under ginkgo trees at Tiangai Temple of Mengding Mountain scenic zone in Ya'an City, southwest China's Sichuan Province. (File Photo)

SW China steps up old tree protection. Individuals found guilty of destructive behaviors will be fined up to 284,000 U.S. dollars.

CHENGDU, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Legislative measures will be taken to protect ancient and rare trees in southwest China's Sichuan Province, local authorities said Thursday.

The regulation on ancient and rare tree protection was approved Thursday by the Standing Committee of the 13th Sichuan Provincial People's Congress, said the provincial forestry and grassland administration.

According to the regulation, those found guilty of destructive behaviors such as unauthorized felling and transplanting of ancient and rare trees can be fined up to 2 million yuan (284,000 U.S. dollars).

The regulation will be implemented from Jan. 1, 2020.

Sichuan boasts abundant green resources, with a total of 70,308 ancient and rare trees, according to a general survey last year.

Foresters check trees on Cuiping Mountain in Yibin, southwest China's Sichuan Province. (File photo)

The regulation defines ancient trees as those that have lived for more than 100 years and rare trees as those with great historical, cultural and scientific value.

"Supported by the regulation, Sichuan will launch designated electronic archives and protection cards to every ancient and rare tree in the near future," said Liu Hongbao, head of the administration. ■