Restoration and Development of the Degraded Loess Plateau, China

This book presents state-of-the-art scientific evidence and technological innovations to restore lands on the Loess Plateau of China, known to the world for its serious land degradation and desertification problems. Supported by a rapidly developing Chinese economy and dissemination of effective technology, the Grain-for-Green Project and Western Development Action launched by the Chinese government resulted in successful ecological restoration and protection over the past 30 years. These programs contributed not only to conservation of soil and water, but also to economic development. At the same time, however, such developmental interventions brought about new challenges, which have not yet been fully addressed. This book describes (1) case studies of success and failure in practice, including rare success stories of combating desertification; (2) technical issues such as erosion control and breeding of stress-tolerant plant species, and socioeconomic measures taken by the Chinese government and lending policies with support from the World Bank; and (3) comprehensive measures against desertification, such as water and wind erosion, salinization, and deforestation. This book is recommended for researchers and students above the undergraduate level in the fields of soil physics and chemistry, plant nutrition, rural development, rural engineering in agricultural sciences, social technology and civil engineering, biology, ecology, climatology, physical and human geography, development economics, international cooperation, and official development aid in economics. It is also a valuable resource for engineers, government officials, NPOs and NGOs involved in afforestation, ecological restoration, combating desertification, disaster prevention, and sustainable rural development.