TY - JOUR
T1 - Evaluating China's Slope Land Conversion Program as sustainable management in Tianquan and Wuqi Counties
AU - Bullock, Allison
AU - King, Brian
N1 - Funding Information:
The fieldwork for this article was completed by the first author in 2007 and 2008 and was supported by the National Science Foundation as part of a project entitled An Integrative Impact Evaluation of China’s Ecological Restoration Programs. Additional research funding was provided by the Rapoport-King thesis scholarship through the College of Liberal Arts at The University of Texas at Austin . We are deeply grateful to Dr. Runsheng Yin of Michigan State University, who provided guidance and supervision throughout the research process in China. Also, heartfelt thanks to Zeidae Zhang and the Chinese students from Sichuan Agricultural University, Northwest A & F University, and Peking University for their assistance with the interview process and translations. Lastly, we are grateful to all of the officials and residents of Tianquan and Wuqi counties for their time and generosity in making this work possible.
PY - 2011/8
Y1 - 2011/8
N2 - Increased soil erosion on sloped land has become a significant environmental concern in China that has been attributed to human activities such as deforestation, over-cultivation, and over-grazing of livestock. In order to reduce soil erosion on sloped lands, the Chinese government has responded by implementing large-scale, ecological rehabilitation programs, including the " Grain for Green" reforestation project. This program involves financial incentives to transition farmers into other economic activities with the goal of reducing ecological pressures and degradation. Because of the scope and potential impacts from these programs, detailed research is needed to understand their social and ecological effects. This paper reports on research conducted in Tianquan County, Sichuan Province, and Wuqi County, Shaanxi Province, that evaluates the effects of the program upon local economies and household livelihood systems. The paper argues that the successful conversion of farmland under " Grain for Green" depends upon local government involvement, local economic development, and funding for local projects. Without economic development within rural economies, we conclude that farmers will remain dependent upon continued subsidy assistance to meet the policy's ambitious environmental restrictions, thereby undermining the program's long-term sustainability.
AB - Increased soil erosion on sloped land has become a significant environmental concern in China that has been attributed to human activities such as deforestation, over-cultivation, and over-grazing of livestock. In order to reduce soil erosion on sloped lands, the Chinese government has responded by implementing large-scale, ecological rehabilitation programs, including the " Grain for Green" reforestation project. This program involves financial incentives to transition farmers into other economic activities with the goal of reducing ecological pressures and degradation. Because of the scope and potential impacts from these programs, detailed research is needed to understand their social and ecological effects. This paper reports on research conducted in Tianquan County, Sichuan Province, and Wuqi County, Shaanxi Province, that evaluates the effects of the program upon local economies and household livelihood systems. The paper argues that the successful conversion of farmland under " Grain for Green" depends upon local government involvement, local economic development, and funding for local projects. Without economic development within rural economies, we conclude that farmers will remain dependent upon continued subsidy assistance to meet the policy's ambitious environmental restrictions, thereby undermining the program's long-term sustainability.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jenvman.2011.03.002
DO - 10.1016/j.jenvman.2011.03.002
M3 - Article
C2 - 21481524
AN - SCOPUS:79955981280
SN - 0301-4797
VL - 92
SP - 1916
EP - 1922
JO - Journal of Environmental Management
JF - Journal of Environmental Management
IS - 8
ER -