Catchment Management Application And Research In Qinghai Forestry Resources Management Project

The research with the backing of QFRMP-a joint project of the Chinese and Australian Governments, reference to the concept of integrated catchment management and methods, aim at existing issues -deterioration of the ecological environment and catchment management problems where happened in the waters sources area in Qinghai. There is a research focus on the Huangshui River catchment which closely integrates characters of natural ecological environment and economy current situation with national key forestry project. The main purpose of the research is to study and investigate the application of integrated catchment management principles in project, and researchers have been exploring the way people think in hopes of controlling and protecting the environment effectively, to provide science and technology assistant and (make a) strategic decision for sustainable development of the loess and hilly land area in eastern part of Qinghai.The research area lies in the loess and hilly land area in eastern part of Qinghai where characterized as low vegetation-floor, serious water/soil erosion, shortage of water resources, rigorous natural condition, low production capability and poor life in village. During the 5 years, catchments have been selected as the appropriate unit for developing management actions to ecological environment improvement and poverty alleviation, the project's components focus at village level to maximize the participation of the community in the management of natural resources. The following activities have been implemented, capacity building, land-use plan, community development, forestry demonstration, farming system and monitoring & evaluation and etc. Through these activities have been done, the management ability in research areas, environmental protection awareness of villagers'have been highly enhanced, and compare with non-research area, vegetation-floor rate is higher, villagers get more off-farming opportunities, with income increase. The project also cultivates a lot of talents in cooperation project implementation, and gained rich experience in integrated catchment management, which set an example for implementing ecological environmental protection project in the future.