Chinese Bulletin of Botany ›› 2003, Vol. 20 ›› Issue (03): 373-382.

• 科学家园地 • Previous Articles     Next Articles

On the Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems: with Special Reference of Protected Areas in the Restoration of Degraded Lands

JIANG Gao-Ming   

  1. (Laboratory of Quantitative Vegetation Ecology, Institute of Botany, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093)
  • Received:2002-04-01 Revised:2003-01-03 Online:2003-06-20 Published:2003-06-20
  • Contact: JIANG Gao-Ming

Abstract: The present degradation of various ecosystems is so serious in China that they can hardly support the survival of human being. The degradation has been induced largely by the increase of population, because the increased numbers of human being have to over exploit the natural resources which leads to the degradation of ecosystems in a dead way. To treat such serious degradations, the wisest way is to help the local people to get rid of poverty. Most of the fund need to be spent for the people rather than planting trees or grasses. Such planting wasted a great deal of money however received less effects in the stabilization of the soils. Natural processes could be enhanced if the huge population or animal pressures were lessened,then the protected areas can be set up after the degraded lands are recovering. Land use patterns of such as eco-tourism should be encouraged since such a land use will cause the least destruction of the natural ecosystems. A new model of using a small part of land to care for the large part of the degraded area and using the natural process to restore degraded ecosystems is given by us. The philosophy of ancient China which is harmonious instead of opposing the nature is still useful in the restoration of any degraded ecosystems in China today. However, if we could achieve from any so-called ecological engineering, the management of the population through eco-town, both economically and ecologically, should be firstly addressed.