BEIJING — China will encourage private capital in the creation and operation of three large forest farms, the country’s top economic planner said on Jan 29.

From 2018 to 2025, China will pilot three large tree farms in the upstream region of Baiyangdian Lake of Xiongan New Area, in Hunshandake Sandland of the northern Inner Mongolia autonomous region and Huangshui River Basin in western Qinghai province, according to a document released by the National Development and Reform Commission.

Authorities should provide policy support to attract social capital to participate in the construction, operation, and management of the pilot forest farms, according to the statement.

Companies should be allowed to finance the programs through means such as public-private partnerships.

Local authorities should streamline the procedures to allow companies to take part in forest farm management.

The afforestation campaign is part of the country’s efforts to improve the environment and combat pollution. Authorities have called on environmental officials to draw on the experiences of creating Saihanba forest farm in northern Hebei province.

Xu Qin, governor of Hebei, has said that 67 square kilometers of forest areas will be created this year in Xiongan New Area, a new economic zone in Hebei about 100 kilometers southwest of Beijing.