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Title: REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCCESS OF REFORESTATION PROJECTS IN A SEMIARID LOW-MOUNTAIN REGION OF THE JINSHA RIVER BASIN, SOUTHWESTERN CHINA

Author
item ZHANG, JIANHUI - CHINESE ACAD OF SCIENCE
item TIAN, G - UNIV. OF GEORGIA
item LI, YONG - CHINESE ACAD OF SCIENCES
item Lindstrom, Michael

Submitted to: Land Degradation and Development
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/21/2001
Publication Date: 9/3/2002
Citation: ZHANG, J., TIAN, G., LI, Y., LINDSTROM, M.J. REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCCESS OF REFORESTATION PROJECTS IN A SEMIARID LOW-MOUNTAIN REGION OF THE JINSHA RIVER BASIN, SOUTHWESTERN CHINA. LAND DEGRADATION AND DEVELOPMENT. 2002. V. 13. P. 395-401.

Interpretive Summary: Re-establishment of native plants after total plant removal has occurred can be a difficult task in semi-arid environments. In the Yunnan Province of southwestern China, native forests were harvested as an industrial fuel source. Attempts to replant the forest have mostly resulted in failures, however, two sites of satisfactory plantings have been documented. It was the purpose of this study to identify the factors contributing to the successful re-establishment of the forest. Site preparation and nursery stock conditions were determined to be important factors in the success of forest establishment. Equally or more important factors were the cooperation and involvement of the local government and the local population. The government recognized the environmental problems associated with the denuded landscape, the local people supplied the necessary labor, and the Institute of Forestry provided the technical knowledge. In return for the labor provided by the local people, they acquired a needed source of firewood for heating purposes. The local government provided funding for these two successful projects including purchase of plant materials and necessary controls of insects and disease. The local government also hired guardians to monitor the forest and to stop illegal harvests. The local population was allowed to prune the trees for firewood on a controlled basis with the incentive that an individual could prune trees that they had planted. This study in a developing culture shows how individual groups with different incentives and goals when working together can produce a desired accomplishment that is beneficial to both the environment and local population needs.

Technical Abstract: Reforestation attempts in the low mountain region of the Jinsha River Basin have generally not been successful. Harsh environmental conditions, specifically high temperatures and lack of available water have hampered forest re-establishment. However, a couple of successful reforestation cases were found in Yuanmou, Yunnan Province of China, a typical semiarid region of the Jinsha River Basin, where success of reforestation has resulted from the employment of a holistic approach. Proper technical aspects of tree planting need to be taken into account to ensure normal growth during the early stages after transplanting nursery stock in such a dry and hot environment. More important, however, are the follow-up management of projects and the implementation of the management policies in reforestation areas. Success of reforestation projects depends heavily on the follow-up management, of which isolated forest tending is an important measure. It is imperative that the government completely participates in the reforestation projects, irrespective of technical aspects, political, or socioeconomic concerns.