Integrated Farming Systems at Different Scales 459degradation, and grass output has increased by over 20 per cent. In Maowusu and
Holqin deserts forest coverage has gone up from 7 per cent and 10 per cent to 16.1
per cent and 18.8 per cent, respectively, since the project started. The ecological
environment in the two areas has fundamentally improved.
In the Xishui He River valley and Weibei Plateau of Shanxi Province, forest
coverage has considerably increased. Water loss and soil erosion have been brought
under effective control with quite remarkable economic effect. Over 730,000ha of
fuelwood forest produced three million tons of fuelwood per year which, com-
bined with other energy resources, has solved the fuel problem for some five mil-
lion households in the countryside. The area of economic forest has increased from
826,000 to 1,440,000ha which produced 2,750,000kg of dried and fresh fruits.
The forest coverage of 12 cities and counties situated in the upper reaches of the
Yellow River in Gansu Province increased from 8.7 per cent in 1977 to 12.3 per
cent, and erosion-control area cover more than 300,000ha. In Shanxi Province
three main sand-control forest belts have been established along the Great Wall, in
the border area with Inner Mongolia and the foothills of the Baiyu Mountains.
Since the beginning of the project in 1978, the state and local authorities have
invested 2420 million yuan RMB, and a total of 1050 million man-days have been
spent by the people and local army units. Outstanding accomplishments have
been achieved and the results are remarkable. As far as the entire project is con-
cerned, this is just the first step of a ‘long march’, but it is firmly believed that this
great IFS programme, which will benefit both our and future generations, can be
brought to a successful completion under the leadership of the Chinese Govern-
ment.
Shelterbelt systems in the middle and upper reaches of the
Yangtze River Basin
Introduction
The Yangtze River (Changjiang) is the longest river in China, with the widest
drainage area and the largest water flow. It originates from the Qinghai–Tibetan
Plateau and flows eastward across Xizhang, Qinghai, Yunnan, Sichuan, Hubei,
Hunan, Jiangxi, Anhui and Jiangsu Provinces/Autonomous Regions and Shanghai
Municipality and enters the Pacific Ocean. The Yangtze River can be divided into
three main parts, in accordance with physio-geographical conditions: the upper
reaches (from Zhimenda of Qinghai Province to Yichang of Hubei Province), the
middle reaches (from Yichang to Hukou of Hubei Province), and the lower reaches
(from Hukou to the mouth at Shanghai) (Ren Mei’e et al, 1985).
The upper reaches of the Yangtze River lie on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau,
with an elevation of 4000–5000masl. In the eastern margin of the Qinghai–
Tibetan Plateau, all mountain ranges turn south-east or directly north–south,
forming the famous Hengduan Mountain system with deep gorges cutting the
upper reaches of the Yangtze River. The region which extends from the outer rim
of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, eastward to the Wushan Mountains, is mainly