Regional Development and Environment Conservation in the Chinese Western Part-Constructing Ecological Model in the Ordo Plateau Area

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This research project aimed at clarifying the conditions to realize sustainable development in the Ordo plateau area in the western part of China, where environmental and ecological degradation has been progressing. Since 2001, the Chinese government laucned a large-scale Western development project and our research is to investigate in particular implication of the Western development project and accomopanying urbanization policy to environmental conservation.. That is why, we first conducted a research on the general aspecto of the Western development policy (WDP), particularities as well as ecological fragility of the western economy and impacts of the development policy on the economy-and ecology of the region. Secondly, we surveyed small town development policy and its environmental impacts. We identified various patterns of small town development as well as their implication on environmetal issues. Thirdly, se analyzed natural resource development policy, which onstitutes one of … More the pillars of WDP and its impact on environment. Fourthly, we made survey on the "Retreat culture, replant forest" policy, which constitutes also one of the major means of WDP and which aims at conservation of environment. According to our research conducted in the Sheng-xi, Shan-xi and Quizou provinces, the conditions for the successful implementation of the "Retreat culture, replant forest" policy is to promote market access, industrialization increasing value added and participation of inhabitants in the conservation efforts. In this way, the farmers of the region might not only he dependent to emigration and daily wage-work to promote self-reliant development in the period of eight years of subsidies given in the framework of this policy. Fifthly, it is important to promote educatin in order to form leaders in endogenous development of the region, however, in actual WDP, maily infrastructure, natural resource and urban development, and "retreat culture, replant forest" policy have been emphasized and education and health, which are indispensable in promoting human and social development has been rather neglected. Thus, our research of two years concluded that, for promoting ecologically concerned regional development in the Ordo plateau area, it is very necessary to promote local initiative and participation of local people in the environmental conservation. For this purpose, the government and. international cooperation should further emphasize human development, including education and health, as well as social development. Less