Frosty scenery on Kuocang Mountain in Linhai city, Taizhou [Photo/taizhou.com.cn] 

National Forestry and Grassland Administration recently approved plans for 12 national forest parks including Kuocang Mountain National Forest Park in Linhai city, Taizhou. 

The park, situated in southwestern Linhai, will cover a total area of 3137.28 hectares. 

The forestland in the park will occupy at least 3,070 hectares, according to the plan. Its core scenic area will be 437.44 hectares, while the ecological conservation area will be 177.45 hectares. The daily tourist capacity to the park will be capped at 10,328. 

Construction on the park will last for 10 years (2020-2029) and will cost a total of 728 million yuan ($105.5 million). 

The park is designed to be a national mountain forest park, integrating sightseeing, leisure, environmental protection and science popularization.

Gu Yongzhi, head of the forestry department of the Linhai bureau of natural resources and planning, said that the park's construction comes as part of efforts by local authorities to implement the "Two Mountains" Theory – which views lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets. 

Next, the park will enter the construction stage, he added. 

Kuocang Mountain, a core part of the park, is the tallest mountain in southeast Zhejiang at 1,382.4 meters.