China's ecological restoration programs: Initiation, implementation, and challenges

Abstract

China has been undertaking several major ecological restoration programs in recent years, including the Sloping Land Conversion Program, the Natural Forest Protection Program, and the Desertification Combating Program around Beijing and Tianjing. This chapter summarizes how these programs have been initiated and implemented, and what the main challenges are in carrying them forward. It seems that with huge government investments, tremendous progress has been made in implementing them. However, in order to complete them successfully and to fundamentally improve the ecosystem functions and services, it is essential for China to have a more balanced and comprehensive approach to ecological restoration; adopt better planning and management practices; strengthen the governance of program implementation; emphasize local people's active engagement; establish an independent, competent monitoring network; and conduct timely and high-quality assessments of the program effectiveness and impacts. We believe that in each of these areas, the international community can and should provide a wide range of technical assistance. © 2009 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.