Pedosphere 19(3): 356--361, 2009
ISSN 1002-0160/CN 32-1315/P
©2009 Soil Science Society of China
Published by Elsevier B.V. and Science Press
| Land use changes of an aeolian-loessial soil area in Northwest China: Implications for ecological restoration |
CHEN Yu-Fu1,2, LIU Yan-Sui1 , WANG Jing2, YAN Jian-Ping1 and GUO Xu-Dong2 |
1 Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101 (China)
2 Key Laboratory of Land Use, Institute of Land Surveying & Planning, Ministry of Land & Resources, Beijing 100035 (China) |
| ABSTRACT |
| China has experienced dramatic land use changes over recent decades, with marked environmental and socio-economic consequences. Hengshan County, located in the aeolian-loessial area of Northwest China, was investigated to illustrate land use changes and their implications for environmental and long-term rural economic development. The farmland in Hengshan County significantly decreased during 1990-2003, whereas forest land and grassland increased. The conversion rates of farmland, orchard land, forest land and construction land varied markedly among different periods: 1990-1995, 1995-2000 and 2000-2003. Conversion of orchard land, grassland and construction land was dominant in 1990-1995, whereas the conversion of farmland to forest land mainly occurred in 2000-2003. The results suggested a profound transition in institutional policy and political economy of land management, including implementation of integrated soil erosion control projects, adoption of a market-oriented economy and the ‘Grain-for-Green' policy, during this period in China. To achieve long-term sustainable land use in Hengshan County, efforts should aim at increasing off-farm income of rural families as well as establishing land-economizing mechanisms to promote land productivity, in addition to conservation measures. |
| Key Words: Hengshan County, land management, per capita land area, policy, sustainable land use |
| Citation: Chen, Y. F., Liu, Y. S., Wang, J., Yan, J. P. and Guo, X. D. 2009. Land use changes of an aeolian-loessial soil area in Northwest China: Implications for ecological restoration. Pedosphere. 19(3): 356-361. |
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