Human Factors For Maqu Grassland Degradation

Maqu Grassland, which is the Water Conservation District to the Yellow River, has a very important ecological position, and become the natural green screen of middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River. But in recent years, it faces a serious problem of environmental degradation. This paper analyzes the several human factors for the degradation. By the researches of domestic and foreign scholars, the institutional factor is confirmed the key human factor to cause the degradation, through the method of Delphi. In order to a deeper analysis of how the institutional factor acts, the article start with the classic theory of "tragedy of the commons", which can explain why the Government implement privatization policy. Through the case of collective action by Maqu pastorals, we can see that the Government's inappropriate institutional supply has become the new institutional factor for the degradation. At the same time, the herders'own choice of joint ranching may become the effective policy of stopping the continued degradation of Maqu grassland. At the end a number of specific policies are recommended against the existing grassland system.