Traditional land use in Loess Plateau (China) and the 'Grain-for-Green' project : A case from Ansai Province, Shanxi

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  • Sato Ren'ya
    Department of Environmental Change, Graduate School of Social and Cultural Studies, Kyushu University
  • Nawata Hiroshi
    Arid Land Research Center, Tottori University
  • Buhe Aosier
    Faculty of Environment Systems, Rakuno Gakuen University
  • Nagasawa Ryota
    Faculty of Agriculture, Tottori University
  • Jia Ruichen
    Graduate School of Agriculture, Tottori University
  • Zhang Wenhui
    Northwest Sci-Tech University of Agriculture & Forestry
  • Hou Qingchun
    Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources
  • Yamanaka Norikazu
    Arid Land Research Center, Tottori University

Bibliographic Information

Other Title
  • 中国黄土高原における伝統的土地利用と退耕還林 : 陝西省安塞県の事例
  • チュウゴク オウド コウゲン ニ オケル デントウテキ トチ リヨウ ト タイコウカンリン センセイショウアンサイケン ノ ジレイ

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Description

The purpose of this paper is to examine effects and problems of the 'Grain for Green' project of China, which progressed halfway through the onset, from the viewpoints both of ecological recovery and of changes in land use as well as rural subsistence economy. The 'Grain for Green' project tries for ecological recovery of the upper reaches of the Huang-He and the Yangtze River, by prohibition of grazing and transformation of cultivated fields in steep slopes into afforested areas. This project aims at not only ecological recovery but also rural economic development, because improvement of peasant economy is regarded as a key for future sustainability of the forests. The authors used remote sensing analysis to examine the extent of ecological recovery after the onset of the project on the one hand, and conducted intensive field research in Beisongta Village, Ansai Province, Shanxi to investigate the extent of change of traditional land use and subsistence economy on the other hand. The result of remote sensing analysis showed marked recovery of land cover, that indicates the effect of afforestation and the prohibition of grazing. Though peasant subsistence economy were greatly affected by the prohibition of sheep and goats grazing and decrease of cultivated land, hothouse cultivation which started at the same time as the project, seems to make up for them so far.

Journal

  • 比較社会文化

    比較社会文化 14 7-21, 2008-03-20

    Graduate School of Social and Cultural Studies, Kyushu University

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