For the second year running, floods are wreaking havoc in the Yangtze River valley. In an effort to stem the problem, China’s cabinet last year issued an order banning logging in many parts of central China because clearcutting had led to soil erosion that in turn contributed to flooding. This year, in a rare public admission, a report by the state Forestry Department has found that local government and business corruption has prevented illegal logging from ceasing in seven provinces.
