On January 10, the State Council Western Region Development Leading Group Office and the State Forestry Administration jointly held a teleconference on returning fields to forest. It announced to comprehensively start the project of returning fields to forest in 2002, and made deployment and arrangement for the project construction work.

On January 11, the Convention on Wetlands International approved China 14 newly designated important wetlands, so that China has 21 important wetlands with an area of 3.03 million hm2.
    On January 18, Vice Premier Wen Jiabao presided over a meeting in Zhongnanhai, examined and adopted "General of China\’s Sustainable Forestry Development Strategy Research".
    On January 23 ~ 24, the National Forestry Office Ministerial Conference was held in Beijing. The main tasks are: guided by the important thought of "Three Represents", and implement conference spirit of the fifth Plenary Session of 5^th Central Committee of the CPC and the Central Economic Work, summarize and analyze the work in 2001, examine the deploy works in 2002, worke hard to open new situation of the new century forestry construction. Zhou Shengxian, Director of the State Forestry Administration, made an important speech entitled "learn from lessons, forge ahead, and comprehensively promote the development of forestry by leaps and bounds". Deputy Director Li Yucai made a concluding statement. Administration leaders Jiang Zehui, Yang Jiping, Ma Fu, Lei Jiafu, and Zhu Lieke attended the meeting.
    On February 2, the State Forestry Administration and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) jointly held the sixth "World Wetlands Day" commemoration conference in Beijing. WWF Asia-Pacific Region Project Director Ms. Yishabel, on behalf of WWF president Mr. Claude •Martin, awarded the honorary certificate of "Gift to the Earth" to Zhou Shengxian, Director of the State Forestry Administration, director of Wildlife Conservation Department also be awarded this honorary certificate. Ma Fu, Deputy Director of the State Forestry Administration attended the meeting and gave speeches.
    On March 3, the State Council approved "Beijing and Tianjin sandstorm source control project planning" Beijing and Tianjin sandstorm source control project started up on the basis of two-year pilot. The project planed to take 10 years, by taking a variety of biological and engineering measures to increase forest coverage, govern desertification land, reduce sand and dust weather hazards, finally make the Beijing-Tianjin and the surrounding areas have obvious ecological change, in general, contain extension trend of land desertification.
    On March 27 ~ 28, Chinese President Jiang Zemin when visiting Shaanxi Yulin and Yan\’an City on desertification prevention and ecological construction, said: eco-environment construction is not only related to the western region development and the improvement of people\’s lives, but also the survival and the development environment of the entire Chinese nation, we must unswervingly carry out. As long as people from generation to generation make persistent efforts, the ecological environment of the western region will be able to be fundamentally improved. Director of the State Forestry Administration Zhou Shengxian accompanied in this inspection.
    On March 29 ~ On April 2, Premier Zhu Rongji when visiting Shanxi Province pointed out: Speeding up the pace of returning fields to forest, is a huge measure to adjust the agricultural structure, strengthen ecological construction, is currently the most direct and effective way to increase the income for peasants, and is the fundamental way to eliminate poverty for poverty-stricken mountainous areas. In order to accelerate the pace of returning fields to forest, we should conscientiously sum up the experience throughout the trial, and further improve policies and implement complementary measures to properly solve the new problems, deputy director Li Yucai of the State Forestry Administration accompanied in this inspection.

On April 1, General Secretary Jiang Zemin stressed on the forum of the western development in the six provinces that we need to conscientiously do a good job on protecting natural forests, returning field to forest, preventing desertification and other key programs, pay attention to combining ruturning fields to forest and pasture and farmland capital construction, rural energy, ecological migration, agricultural structural readjustment.
    On April 6, party and national leaders Jiang Zemin, Zhu Rongji and Li Ruihuan, Hu Jintao, anticipated in voluntary tree-planting activities at Beijing\’s Chaoyang Park.
    On April 9 ~ 13, Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji pointed out when examining in Hainan Province: protecting ecological environment is a basic national policy, and is an important part of sustainable development strategies. Protecting and improving the environment is to protect and develop productive forces. We must put ecological and environmental protection in a more prominent position.
    On April 11, the State Council in decree of the State Council (No. 10, 2002) issued "Opinions of the State Council on further improve returning fields to forest policies and measures".
     On April 19, the State Forestry Administration decided to add a sign of "the State Forestry Administration Forest Park Management Office" in the state-owned forest and tree seedlings work station, and strengthened forest parks and forest tourism industry management.
    On April 23, the State Planning Commission, the State Forestry Administration, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Water Resources jointly issued "Beijing and Tianjin sandstorm source project construction management measure".
    On May 12, the State Forestry Administration decided that the state-owned forest farms and forest seedling work station substituted tree seedlings for administrative management.
    On May 22, China Wolong Giant Panda Museum was opened in Sichuan Wolong National Nature Reserve. Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji wrote the hall name. Ma Fu, deputy director of the State Forestry Administration made a speech and opened the ceremony for the museum.
    On May 28, Jiangsu Province Forestry Administration was formally established. Director of the State Forestry Administration, Zhou Shengxian, deputy secretary of Jiangsu Provincial Party Committee and vice governor of Province Standing Committee, Liang Baohua, opened the ceremony and delivered speeches for the Forestry Administration.
    On June 6, Jiang Zehui, party member of the State Forestry Administration and Dean of Chinese Academy of Forestry got the "Global Environment Leadership Award of Global Environment Fund in 2002"
    On June 16, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification Secretary-General, Mr. Deyaluo signed the certificate and granted China\’s State Forestry Administration, Zhou Shengxian award of "Award for outstanding contribution to Combat Desertification" This was the first time for "United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification" standing organization since it established granted an award to the department leader of national government.
    On June 17, the National Afforesting Committee, the Ministry of Personnel, the State Forestry Administration in the Great Hall jointly opened National Hornering Assemble to prevent desertification. Regular session of National People\’s Congress Vice Director Zhou Jiahua, vice chairman of the CPPCC Zhao Nanqi attended the meeting. The General Assembly granted Shi Guangyin honorary title of "Desertification Treatment Hero" and recognized a number of unit pacesetters, individual pacesetters, advanced collectives and individuals of desertification prevention and treatment.
    On July 4, the State Planning Commission formally approved the implementation of "construction project planning of key areas fast growing timber forest base".
    On July 8, the Central Organization Department, the Central Publicity Department, the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Science awarded honorary title "National Outstanding professional and technical personnel" to 50 comrades, including Dean of the Chinese Academy of Forestry Peng Zhenhua, Heilongjiang Province Shuangfeng Administration Sun Hai and others, who met by Hu Jintao, Li lanqing, Ding Guangen, Wang Zhongyu and other leaders.
    On July 31 ~ On August 1, the National Forestry Office Ministerial Symposium was held in Beidaihe. Director of the State Forestry Administration Zhou Shengxian made an important speech on "control six major projects, promote five changes, and constantly open new prospects for leap-forward development of forestry". Deputy Director Li Yucai held the meeting and Administration Leader Yang Jiping, Ma Fu, Lei Jiafu, Zhu Lieke attended the meeting.
    On August 1, the construction of high-yielding timber bases in key areas announced to launch. The total investment is 71.8 billion yuan, the overall construction objective is: to 2015, the new afforestation and low-yielding forest will produce 13.33 million hm2, and provide 40% of domestic production timber demand to ensure that the domestic timber supply and demand is balance.
    On August 27 World Wetlands Convention Bureau held a press conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, granted the Chinese government "List of Wetlands of International Importance recognized certificates"
    On September 28, the State Council vice Premier Wen Jiabao chaired the meeting in Zhongnanhai, and listened to initial results of China\’s sustainable development strategy for forestry research project reports. Wen Jiabao pointed out: the forestry is an important base of economy and society sustainable development, and is the most fundamental and long-term measures of ecological construction. In the sustainable development, forestry should be given an important position; in ecological construction, forestry should be given top priority.
    On October 8, the Central Committee Office for Public Sector Reform issued "Approval on the State Forestry Administration increasing and adjusting forest resources supervision institution in key forest areas", Agreed the State Forestry Administration to increase 7 Forest Resources Supervision Offices, respectively in Zhengzhou, Xi\’an, Wuhan, Guiyang, Haikou, Hefei, Urumqi. The name of original Forest Resources Supervision Office in Jilin, Sichuan, Fujian will be changed and the supervision scope will be adjusted.

On October 10, three Forest Armed Corps in Sichuan, Xinjiang, Tibet, approved by CPC Central Committee, State Council and Central Military Commission was formally established and held a listing ceremony. The State Forestry Administration vice director Ma Fu, Lei Jiafu attended the listing ceremony.
    On October 12, approved by the Central Organization Commission Office, the State Forestry Administration decided, on the basis of the original forest fires forecast information center to set up " the State Forestry Administration forest fire early warning and monitoring Information Center".

On October 16, the desertification treatment hero Shi Guangyin got the award of outstanding forest farmer award from Unite Nations FAO. He is the second award winner who made outstanding contribution in desertification prevention and treatment field, after national model of desertification prevention and treatment Niu Yuqin got the first outstanding forest farmer award in 1992 from Unite Nations FAO.
    On October 26, the launching ceremony of "General of China\’s Sustainable Development Strategy Research Forestry” was held in Beijing.
    On October 28, the launching ceremony of book "Feat to re-build beautiful River—documentary of six key forestry projects" was held in Beijing.
    On November 2, Directory Zhou Shengxian signed the State Forestry Administration Order No. 4 and No. 5, and issued "Forestry Administrative Punishment Hearing Rules" and "tree seed production and business license management measures."
    On November 18, party secretary of the State Forestry Administration, Directory Zhou Shengxian was elected to be the Central Commissioner Alternate at the 1^st plenary session of the Sixth CPC session.

On November 24, the State Forestry Administration held a meeting in Beijing, with organs & units and all Secretaries of divisions affiliated to Beijing. The meeting conveyed the spirit of Central Economic Work Conference, the National Planning Work Conference and the National Organization Work Conference, summarized work in 2002, and comprehensively deployed and arranged work in 2003. Director Zhou Shengxian made an important speech entitled "Guided by the spirit of party’s 16^th NPC, accurately grasp and seriously implement the work arrangements of central authorities, comprehensively create a new situation for forestry leap-forward development". Deputy Director Li Yucai presided over the meeting. Yang Jiping, Ma Fu, Lei Jiafu, Zhu Lieke attended the meeting.
    On December 2, Directory Zhou Shengxian signed the State Forestry Administration Order No. 6, and issued "The People\’s Republic of China Protection List of New Plant Variety (Forestry Part)."
    On December 4, Premier Zhu Rongji signed the State Council Order No. 367, and issued "Regulations on returning fields to forest", which goes into effect as of January 20, 2003.