An Integrated Assessment of China’s Ecological Restoration Programs
An Integrated Assessment of China’s Ecological Restoration Programs

Author: Runsheng Yin

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2009-07-14

Total Pages: 281

ISBN-13: 904812655X

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China has been undertaking unprecedented ecological restoration efforts to deal with its problems of soil erosion, flooding, dust storms, and habitat loss. While there have been studies of these efforts, questions remain concerning whether they have been effectively implemented, what their induced socioeconomic and ecological impacts are, and how their performance can be improved. Tackling these important questions in an integrated manner, “An Integrated Assessment of China’s Ecological Restoration Programs” is extraordinary for its broad coverage and methodological rigor. It provides a substantial improvement over the conventional approach of simply reporting projects undertaken and accepting uncritically the government assessment, and thus fills an important knowledge gap of the restoration efforts being implemented upon a variety of ecosystems in China.

China’s Grain for Green Program
China’s Grain for Green Program

Author: Claudio O. Delang

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2014-11-07

Total Pages: 243

ISBN-13: 3319115057

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This book provides a comprehensive review of Grain for Green, China’s nationwide program which pays farmers to revert sloping or marginal farm land to trees or grass. The program aims to improve the ecological conditions of much of China, and the socioeconomic circumstances of hundreds of millions of people. GfG is the largest reforestation, ecological restoration, and rural development initiative in history, combining the biggest investment, the greatest involvement, and the broadest degree of public participation ever. The book is organised in three sections. Part One reviews the history of land management in China from 1949 to 1998, exploring the conditions that led to the introduction of GfG, and comparing it to other reforestation programs. Part Two offers an overview of GfG, describing the timeline of the program, compensation paid to farmers, the rules concerning land and plant selection, the extent to which these rules were followed, the attitudes of farmers towards the program, and the way in which the program is organized and implemented by various state actors. Part Three discusses the impact of the GfG, from both ecological and socio-economic standpoints, looking at the economic benefits that result from participating in the GfG, the impact of the GfG across local economies, the redistribution of the labor force and the sustainability of the program, in particular the question of what will happen to the converted land when payments to farmers end.

Post-Faustmann Forest Resource Economics
Post-Faustmann Forest Resource Economics

Author: Shashi Kant

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2013-02-11

Total Pages: 299

ISBN-13: 9400757786

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The current paradigm of forest economics is based on Faustmann Formulation (FF) of land expectation value proposed by Martin Faustmann. It was a great achievement by a forester to propose a formulation that captures some fundamental economic features of capital theory which. However, the followers of the FF approach have trapped themselves into the past, and have not shown any indication of economic acumen of the great Faustmann. This has resulted in a common problem in the current paradigm of forest economics, known as Faustmann Forest Resource Economics (FFRE), to prescribe the application of a single (FF) approach to all situations irrespective of the specific features of the situation. The current state of forest economics is similar to that of neoclassical economics, and is full of inefficiencies. In neoclassical economics, inefficiencies are due to its “locked-in” position in rational economic man, while in forest economics inefficiencies are due to its “locked-in” position in the FF. The focus of this volume is on the new paradigm of forest economics termed as Post-Faustmann Forest Resource Economics (PFFRE). The first chapter lays the foundation of the PFFRE, and presents the key distinctions between the FFRE and the PFFRE. The volume includes twelve other chapters that address issues related to forest economics from perspectives different than the FFRE. Chapter 2 to 6 are focused on issues related to human behavior that is different than the rational economic man, Chapter 7 and 8 on public choice theory, Chapter 9 and 10 on systems approaches, and Chapter 11 to 13 on incremental approaches to incorporate new features in the FFRE.

Advances in Quantitative Remote Sensing in China – In Memory of Prof. Xiaowen Li
Advances in Quantitative Remote Sensing in China – In Memory of Prof. Xiaowen Li

Author: Shunlin Liang

Publisher: MDPI

Published: 2019-03-07

Total Pages: 404

ISBN-13: 3038972703

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Quantitative land remote sensing has recently advanced dramatically, particularly in China. It has been largely driven by vast governmental investment, the availability of a huge amount of Chinese satellite data, geospatial information requirements for addressing pressing environmental issues and other societal benefits. Many individuals have also fostered and made great contributions to its development, and Prof. Xiaowen Li was one of these leading figures. This book is published in memory of Prof. Li. The papers collected in this book cover topics from surface reflectance simulation, inversion algorithm and estimation of variables, to applications in optical, thermal, Lidar and microwave remote sensing. The wide range of variables include directional reflectance, chlorophyll fluorescence, aerosol optical depth, incident solar radiation, albedo, surface temperature, upward longwave radiation, leaf area index, fractional vegetation cover, forest biomass, precipitation, evapotranspiration, freeze/thaw snow cover, vegetation productivity, phenology and biodiversity indicators. They clearly reflect the current level of research in this area. This book constitutes an excellent reference suitable for upper-level undergraduate students, graduate students and professionals in remote sensing.

Vegetation-based Degradation and Restoration on the Alpine Grasslands of the Tibetan Plateau
Vegetation-based Degradation and Restoration on the Alpine Grasslands of the Tibetan Plateau

Author: Yanfu Bai

Publisher: Frontiers Media SA

Published: 2024-08-13

Total Pages: 186

ISBN-13: 2832553109

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Known as the “roof of the world,” the Tibetan Plateau is the highest and largest plateau on Earth. Tibetan Plateau hosts several mountain ecosystems characterized by high elevations, cold conditions, and a wide range in water availability. Its unique physical and geographical environment includes ecosystems typical for alpine regions, classified as alpine grasslands, which account for 50-70% of the total land area of the Tibetan plateau. Most of these grasslands contain fragile tundra-like environments which are seriously affected by anthropogenic modifications and whose restoration presents a challenge. These natural grassland types include alpine deserts, alpine steppes, alpine meadows, and alpine swamp meadows along precipitation gradients, as well as the transition types between them. Alpine grasslands remain subject to severe degradation by multiple factors, mainly overgrazing and climate warming. As a result, grasslands exhibit a decreased capacity to support biodiversity and complexity, and more generally, ecosystem functions. Therefore, these changes also affect social and recreational activities and restrict access to clean water and food by local communities.

A Goal-Oriented Approach to Forest Landscape Restoration
A Goal-Oriented Approach to Forest Landscape Restoration

Author: John Stanturf

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2012-12-05

Total Pages: 474

ISBN-13: 9400753381

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While restoration ecology has traditionally aimed to re-create some putative more ‘natural’ ecological state, forest landscape restoration (FLR) has emerged over the last decade as an approach aimed more at restoring natural functions, while focusing on meeting human needs. With a view to exploring the practical potential of this approach, this book draws together a team of experts from the natural and social sciences to discuss its success so far in addressing critical issues such as biodiversity, ecological function, and human livelihoods. Applying principles of landscape ecology, restoration ecology, planning theory and conflict management, the book presents a series of case studies which document the approach, and discusses how the approach can help with priority setting for the future. The book will provide a valuable reference to graduate students and researchers interested in ecological restoration, forest ecology and management, as well as to professionals in environmental restoration, natural resource management, conservation, and environmental policy.

Ecological Restoration in International Environmental Law
Ecological Restoration in International Environmental Law

Author: Anastasia Telesetsky

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Published: 2016-12-01

Total Pages: 329

ISBN-13: 1317633679

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Human activities are depleting ecosystems at an unprecedented rate. In spite of nature conservation efforts worldwide, many ecosystems including those critical for human well-being have been damaged or destroyed. States and citizens need a new vision of how humans can reconnect with the natural environment. With its focus on the long-term holistic recovery of ecosystems, ecological restoration has received increasing attention in the past decade from both scientists and policymakers. Research on the implications of ecological restoration for the law and law for ecological restoration has been largely overlooked. This is the first published book to examine comprehensively the relationship between international environmental law and ecological restoration. While international environmental law (IEL) has developed significantly as a discipline over the past four decades, this book enquires whether IEL can now assist states in making a strategic transition from not just protecting and maintaining the natural environment but also actively restoring it. Arguing that states have international duties to restore, this book offers reflections on the philosophical context of ecological restoration and the legal content of a duty to restore from an international law, European Union law and national law perspective. The book concludes with a discussion of several contemporary themes of interest to both lawyers and ecologists including the role of private actors, protected areas and climate change in ecological restoration.

Land Reclamation in Ecological Fragile Areas
Land Reclamation in Ecological Fragile Areas

Author: Hu Zhenqi

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 2017-07-20

Total Pages: 586

ISBN-13: 1351680420

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Land Reclamation in Ecological Fragile Areas contains the proceedings of the 2nd International Symposium on Land Reclamation and Ecological Restoration (LRER 2017, Xi’an, China, 20-23 October 2017). The contributions cover a wide range of topics: • Mining impact on environment • Monitoring, prediction and assessment of mining impact on land environment • Mining methods and measurements to minimize the land and environment impact • Mining and reclamation policies, regulations and standard • AMD treatment • Soil and landscape reconstruction • Revegetation and biodiversity protection • Subsidence land reclamation and ecological restoration • Surface mined land reclamation and ecological restoration • Solid wastes management, waste dump and tailings pond restoration • Case study • Abandoned mine land reclamation and ecological restoration • Contaminated land remediation • Reclaimed land monitoring and evaluation • Land reclamation supervision • Products and industrialization • Education, technology transfer and international cooperation of mine land reclamation • “The Belt and Road Initiative” and mine land restoration Land Reclamation in Ecological Fragile Areas will be of interest to engineers,scientists, consultants, government officials and students in this area.

Restoration of Boreal and Temperate Forests
Restoration of Boreal and Temperate Forests

Author: John A. Stanturf

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 2015-08-14

Total Pages: 550

ISBN-13: 1040073727

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This substantially updated new edition reflects the growing recognition that large areas of forests are degraded globally. This edition describes forest restoration in the context of rapid social, economic, environmental, and climate change. Covering the last decade's significant advances in forest restoration concepts and practice, this edition has 16 new chapters and 19 thoroughly revised chapters. This book is an excellent source of information for researchers, managers, policymakers, and graduate students in forestry and ecology.