Research On The Forest Changes And Forestry Construction In Northwest China In The Period Of The Republic Of China

British historian Arnold Joseph Toynbee held that history is form by a series of challenges and responding between civilizations and environment.In historical period, there were rich forest resources in Northwest China.But because of this region is located in the arid inland with the rare rainfall and wicked environment, especially because of the results made by human activity, many forests were degradation even disappeared, the forest resources became shortage extremely. In the period of the Republic of China, the forest still had been changing greatly, the main features were the forest resources had lost rapidly in whole period, although increased and recovered in local areas in early times. The reasons of forest resources loss were private and army fuel consumption, all kind of timber consumption, deforested-land reclamation, military consumption, and natural disaster, etc. The backgrounds of forest resources loss were backward culture, economy and education in the region. The extremely loss of forest resources caused fuel and timber shortage, water loss and soil erosion becoming seriously, desertification expanding, climatic deterioration, natural scenery disappeared, economy and culture declined, etc, and caused restricted social progress. These consequences brought forward challenge to existence of people and social development in Northwest China. Meanwhile, after the outbreak of Anti-Japanese War, Chinese nation was in the most dangerous moment, Northwest China faced the challenge to support war and build rear area. In this situation, Concerned and promoted by politician, foresters, agronomist, local people and other sectors, all provinces of Northwest China responded the challenges bravely, took active measures to protect natural forest, developed tree-planting widely, developed forestry education, researched and extended forestry technology, promoted forestry construction, started the ecological civilization construction in Northwest China. At the same time,the forest construction in the regin also supported Anti-Japanese War and undertook responsibility to build the solid national rear bases.This article divided three sections. With the basis of the dialectical materialism ideological, the article systematically studies all aspects of forest changes and forestry construction Northwest China in the period of Republic of China by utilizing the method of history, regional research and field investigation.The first Section is the foreword. In this section, the author introduces the purpose and significance of this artical, summarizes the present research situation in related fields in academic circles, determines research scope, methods, and some concepts.The second section is tilled "challenge—forest resources loss and its consequences in the period of Republic of China" and divided into three chapters. Chapter 1 discusses the forest distribution and changes in the period of the Republic of China in Northwest. Chapter 2 investigated the loss form of forest resources. Chapter 3 summarizes the consequences of forest resource loss, analyzed the social background about forest resource loss. The first three chapters mainly discusses that forest resources loss in Northwest China in the period of the republic of China led to a series serious consequences, which challenged to existence of people and social development in Northwest China. Meanwhile, the forestry construction faced the challenge to support Anti-Japanese War and build rear area in the most dangerous moment of China.The third section titled "Responding the challenge—the forestry construction in Northwest China in the period of the Republic of China" and includes seven chapters, which elaborates all provinces of Northwest China had taken various measures to respond the challenge. Chapter 4 elaborated all provinces established forestry institutions as a basis for forestry construction promoted by the central government. Chapter 5 discusses that in order to make forestry construction plan, forestry agencies, organizations and individuals investigated forest resources in Northwest China. Chapter 6 studies the government and people of the Northwest China had taken measures to protect natural forest under the hard conditions. Chapter 7 investigates the provinces of the Northwest China opened up nursery and cultivated seedling for large-scale afforestation. Tree planting is anther most important measure for improve ecological environment, so Chapter 8 discusses afforestation movement in Northwest, sums up experiences and draws lessons from success and failure. Chapter 9 studied forestry education development and pointed out that it was an important period for forestry education development in Northwest in the period of the Republic of China. Chapter 10 discusses forestry technology research and extension, such as tree introduction, cross breeding, forest management, etc, had taken in this regin in the period of the Republic of China. Chapterl 1 elaborates guided by the Thought of Saving the Nation through Cience, many famous foresters worked hard in Northwest China, set an example for local people and left valuable spiritual heritage for Northwest China. Chapter 12 generalizes the experience and lessons of forest changes, affirms the achievement of the forestry construction, put forward some suggestions for forestry construction in the future.