HAIKOU, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Southern island province of Hainan has set up a pilot area of a national tropical rain forest park, local authorities said Monday.

The pilot area, located in the central mountainous terrain of Hainan, covers an area of more than 4,400 square km or about one-seventh of the island's land area, Xia Fei, director of the provincial forestry department,

said at a press conference.

The project involves five national nature reserves, three provincial nature reserves, four national forest parks and six provincial forest parks.

"We will protect places in dire need of protection," Xia said, adding that the pilot area aims to protect and restore the eco-system of Hainan's rainforests.

The pilot area will last until 2020 when the national tropical rain forest park will officially be established.