Study site description: Yan River Basin, China

Table of Contents

1. Responsible partner
2. General information
3. Bio-physical description
   1. Major natural resources available in the study site area
   2. Use of land resources
   3. Use of water resources
   4. Uses of forest resources
   5. Strengths of existing land use practices
   6. Weaknesses of existing land use practices
   7. Major degradation issues due to the use of natural resources
4. Socio-economic description
5. Institutional and political setting
6. Relevant end-users / stakeholder groups

Weaknesses of existing land use practices

The most unsustainable practice in the Yanhe River Basin is the forest that could consume the soil moisture fast. There are many old and small trees in the Loess Plateau. The productivity of forest is very low but the effective soil moisture is nearly used up. It is quite difficult to judge how to improve the vegetation.

Dryland farming on sloping land could increase the soil loss, but many local farmers would like to use it for the extra yield if there is enough rainfall. Although the Grain for Green Policy has already changed many sloping croplands into forest and grassland, the sloping land is still widely cultivated without subsidies.

The use of plastic film could contribute to the increase of yields and incomes, but thicker film that could be recycled and re-used it is too expensive in the Yanhe River Basin. Thin plastic film has proven to destroy the soil structure.