The Ecological Compensation Effects On The Rural Households Livelihoods In The Upstream Region Of Miyun Reservoir

Ecological compensation plays an important role in sustainable development in both upstream and downstream region. Miyun Reservoir is the important drinking water source of Beijing. In order to guarantee the water quality and quantity of Miyun Reservoir and ensure the water security in Beijing, the central grovernment, Hebei Provice and Beijing Municipality have been trying to establish and promote the transboundary ecological compensation mechanism since the end of last century. A number of ecological compensation programs have been implemented in Miyun Reservoir upstream region to encourage them to protect the environment and use water more efficiently. Because rural households are the most widely participants and they have direct interests at stake of ecological compensation, their motivation in ecological construction directly affect the results of ecological construction. It is worth studying the effects of ecological compensation on rural households livelihoods.The thesis focuses on Fengning County, which locates in the upstream region of Miyun Reservoir. From the livelihood perspective, this thesis analyzes the impacts of the existing ecological compensation policy on rural households.This thesis uses the sustainable livelihoods analysis framework to evaluates three main ecological programs, which are the Grain for Green Program, Paddy to Maize Program and Water-saving Irrigation Program. They are participated by ruralt household in the study area. Among them,, the Grain for Green Program is most widely participated and it is emphasized in the study.The main contents include:1) The rural households livelihood description and analysis;2) The empirical analysis of the influence to the livelihood strategies and livelihood result of the rural households from Grain for Green Program by statistical analysis and econometric methods;3) The analysis of three ecological compensation project impact on direct benefits to rural households by comparing opportunity cost with benefits, and the satisfaction degree of rural households to ecological compensation programs..We conclude:1) Grain for green program has slight positive impact on rural households livelihoods;2) Paddy to Maize Program has a significant negative impact on the participants’ total income;3) The ecological compensation project management contain the play of some project benefits;4) The ecological compensation programs have little impact on the rural households life behavior;5) The dependence on agriculture of rural households is gradually decreased, and rural households livelihoods diversification.