Shanghai will appoint officials at all levels of the government by the year's end, tasked with protecting and developing local ecological resources, the city government announced on Thursday.

The officials, to be known as "forest chiefs," will be responsible for the management of the city's forest lands, green lands and wet lands as well as the planning of new ecological space and disaster control.

Shanghai had a forest coverage of 18.5 percent by the end of last year and a per capita park green space of 8.5 square meters.