Agri-Forestry and soil conservation: China, 1981. In 1949, China's forests covered a mere 5% of its total land area. Through diligentt afforestation efforts, this cover was increased to 12.7% by 1978. Working only on non-agricultural land, the national policy of tree planting continues throughout the country with the increasing significance of forestry as a source of industrial raw material, food and oil, and as protection against wind and water erosion. For example, the tea-oil tree (Thea oleosa) produces 75% of China's edible oil. The major part of the forestry effort comes from communes where forestry is an integral part of the total economic activity. The rural Chinese look upon tree-growing as equally important as field or plantation crops, and various forestry training programmes are in progress. Bamboo forests and other trees are being planted as part of the national watershed management policy for erosion control and soil conservation. Hunan Province: harvested bamboo (single stem) is bound together in clusters in such a way as to facilitate its being poled down a river to the collection point.