The Theory And Practice Of The Integrated Ecosystem Management

Land degradation (LD) has become the major factor affecting and constraining the socio-economic development and environmental rehabilitation and conservation in the northwestern region (NWR) of China. Due to complexity of the factors leading to LD, high intensity and scope of LD, the currently practiced sectoral approaches and lack of integrated ecosystem management in the drives for combating LD has been falling far behind the needs of the socio-economic development in the Western Region (WR), and therefore, the tendency, in which eco-environmental situation in the WR is deteriorating and worsening, could hardly be fundamentally addressed. Looking with a brand-new perspective of the concept of Integrated Ecosystem Management (IEM), taking as its case studies the six provinces/autonomous regions in the WR, namely Gansu, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Shaanxi and Qinghai, based on an approach of combining theoretical analysis and fact demonstration, this dissertation discusses the research undertaken in 2002 -2005 on the systematic theoretical framework of IEM for combating LD and the study on some macro issues of and strategic countermeasures against LD. The following major conclusions have been reached: 1. It is still new to every country in the world to apply IEM in combating LD and therefore, what has been commonly seen is lack of agreed understanding and mature experience. The example as per having numerous definitions for some key terminologies is well illustrating this fact. 2. The nature of LD lies in loss of land productivity and a reversed succession of the land eco-ecosystems. Through systematic analysis of the causes of LD and the mode of thinking reflected in and results obtained by the current LD combating programs, it has been shown in the dissertation that IEM is the effective way to address the root causes of LD. 3. IEM requires in the process of formulating planning for combating LD that consideration of the interrelation among all the factors should be taken into account on the basis of integrity of ecosystems; that cross-sectoral and participatory approaches should be applied in planning and implementing natural resources management; and that exploration should be made on optimized dispositions of resources and funds, innovated management mechanisms as well as improved operational mechanisms, so as to address radically the issues of LD. IEM's elements are mainly constituted of IEM management objectives, tasks and approaches. IEM emphasizes especially on the importance of multi-disciplinary planning and management so as to mitigate, to a maximal extent, the conflicts over use of resources for promotion of rationalized utilization of resources. 4. The basic framework for research on and practice of IEM in addressing LD is to explore on landscape level the rehabilitation of vegetation ecosystems. Through a systematic diagnosis and evaluation of degraded land in specific regions, what materialistic goods and environmental services and functions are expected from the process of integrated management of LD and what natural basis could be provided in the specific regions should be identified and defined for the socio-economic development in specific regions; Then to couple the social needs with the natural basis in the process of integrated management of LD by defining the social, economic, and environmental objectives of integrated management of LD so as to guarantee the objective of sustainable land use patterns and modes, namely, land use structure, land use distribution pattern and land use spatial disposition, that are to be realized by achieving the three previously-listed objectives therein; The key of practicing integrated management of LD lies in planning integrated management of LD, formatting integrated management models, adapting integrated management measures and having in place the technical system of LD monitoring and evaluation. The core of the process of practicing integrated management of LD is to set norms for human activities and therefore, the macro regulating systems of the governments, public participation mechanism, administration system, mechanism for rational benefit-sharing based on ownership system, and multi-sectoral collaboration, among others, are the important guarantees for practicing integrated management of LD. 5. The six northwestern provinces/autonomous regions in the WR are featured by lack of water resources, scarcity in and rareness of biodiversity, and water and soil erosion and its grave situation. Home to multiple ethnic groups, the NWR has higher reliance on land resources for development of crop farming, forestry and livestock-raising. Scarce forest resources and irrationalized use of grassland resources has been accelerating the intensity of LD. 6. In the process of development and utilization of land resources in the NWR, natural and socio-economic factors are interacting. However, the key reason for LD in the NWR lies in the lack of IEM. To address this would require updating, publicizing and implementing current laws and regulations in place; need formulating effective incentive mechanism for promotion of public participation in the drive to combat LD; and ask for improving institutional framework so as to mitigate the negative factors, such as sectoral approaches, that have given rise to contradictions and conflicts. 7. Based on the basic theoretical framework of IEM for combating LD and the issuesaccruing in managing LD in the NWR, the proposed general approach for addressing LD in the NWR is: to orient mainly at revegetation by matching species to sites so as to increase by a larger scale the vegetation coverage; to boost adjustment and optimization of land use structure; and to promote or restore virtuous cycling of the various ecosystems and to establish an ecological security system in the NWR by means of continuous coverage with vegetation, conservation farming, eco-landscape restoration, protection and use of indigenous knowledge, etc; to integrate livelihood with eco-environmental rehabilitation programs and to adjust farming structures through developing alternative livelihoods so as to increase employment, to develop unique economy and to promote regional sustainable development. For these purposes, 9 pilot sites are proposed, including Qilian Mountains -Hexi Corridor of Gansu, Mous Sandy Lands of Shaanxi, Gansu-Xinjiang Grasslands, Gonghe-Talatan of Qinghai, Southwestern Zhungeer Basin of Xinjiang, Helan Mountains-the Yellow River of Ningxia, and Tongliao/Korqin Sandy Lands of Inner Mongolia. 8. Many challenges foreseen for applying IEM to rehabilitate degraded lands in China include: a) inadequate ecological, social and economic information for implementing IEM-wise planning and decision-making on basis of landscape; b) marginal coordination existing in the current land management framework in terms of policy, regulation, management, technology and fund, which is not in favor of IEM in many places; c) land and natural resources management systems, to larger extent, are still constraining the active participation of the private sector, NGO and the general public; d) lack of know-how in avoiding conflicts and managing conflicts so as to reduce conflicts among the different interests; and e) available yet of costing of the cost and benefit of new models, affecting the process of decision making and extrapolation. Innovation of this dissertation lies in: 1) describing for the first time the connotation and extension of IEM; 2) formulating for the first time the technical framework for applying IEM in combating LD in China; 3) analyzing systematically by means of the above-mentioned theory and technical system the causes of LD in the NWR and having proposed responsive and integrated strategies.