Why Large-Scale Afforestation Efforts in China Have Failed To Solve the Desertification Problem

Abstract

Traditional Chinese approaches to ecosystem restoration have focused on afforestation as an important tool for controlling desertification. However, the long-term results of this practice increasingly show that these projects are actually increasing environmental degradation in arid and semiarid regions, with ecosystems deteriorating and wind erosion increasing. Rather than focusing solely on afforestation, it would be more effective to focus on re-creating natural ecosystems that are more suitable for local environments and that can thus provide a better chance of combating desertification.Arid and semiarid regions make up ~40% of the earth's land surface and are home to ~20% of the human population, but these areas are increasingly being affected by desertification (1). A half-century policy of forest exploitation, livestock overgraz- SHIXIONG CAO CHINA AGRICULTUR AL UNIVERSITYTrenches were dug parallel to the contours during planting to prevent downslope erosion and collect slope runoff for the trees. The decreased vegetation cover can offset this advantage by increasing wind erosion.

Review of the ecohydrological processes and feedback mechanisms controlling sand-binding vegetation systems in sandy desert regions of China

“…In the beginning, the main way to stabilize moving sand dunes was to choose relatively few species and plant them at high densities. The application of this method over large areas resulted in the lowering of groundwater levels and degradation of the vegetation, even in the eastern sandlands where precipitation is 300-450 mm [82]. However, better species selection and revegetation configuration could maintain the stable function and structure of the newly planted vegetation in arid desert regions where precipitation was only 100-200 mm [11,25].…”

Ecological Consequences of Changing Fuelwood Consumption Patterns in Remote Villages of Northwestern China

“…On the other hand, reforestation should consider introducing and planting more fuelwood forests composed of fast-growing species near the villages to benefit the households that still need fuelwood. However, because such trees tend to have low water-use efficiency, managers should carefully ensure that the trees will not extract more water from the soil than the environment can provide, since this can exacerbate ecosystem degradation (Cao, 2008). It may also be possible to provide support for villagers so they can establish small-scale businesses to transport fuelwood from more distant forests to each village, thereby both improving employment stability and reducing the spatial imbalance in fuelwood availability.…”

The Impact of Ecological Restoration Projects in Dry Lands: Data-based Assessment and Human Perceptions in the Lower Reaches of Heihe River Basin, China

“…This method can be used to examine the detailed vegetation species growing in one fixed area (usually a 100 m 2 plot). The study area of this survey (41 • 47.447-47.448 N, 100 • 57.879-58.131 E, 1410 m elevation) is located on the riverbank of the Heihe River, where the densest vegetation coverage and greatest variety of vegetation species in the lower reaches are observed (41)(42)(43) • N, 100-102 • E).…”

“…In fact, large-scale afforestation projects may result in the degradation of vegetation in the surrounding areas despite the increase of vegetation cover in the targeted afforested areas. For example, plant transpiration and evaporation from the soil surface in afforested areas can decrease the soil moisture and deplete the groundwater, which may cause vegetation degradation over the long term [43]. Yang et al [44] also argued that the creation of artificial ecosystems is ill-suited for combating desertification.…”