Degradation and restoration of forest ecosystems in China

China is a vast country with a diverse physical environment, rich biodiversity and complex forest types. Old China has left us with few forests and a poor base for forestry. Owing to the rapid growth of population, coupled with the development of agriculture and urban construction, as well as improper forest management, the degradation of forest resources in China has been accelerating. As a result of forest degradation, environmental problems including soil erosion and loss of biodiversity are being experienced and natural hazards are occurring with increasing frequency. The Chinese government has increased its focus on conservation of forests and restoration of degraded forest ecosystems. Particularly in recent years, a series of measures have been put in place. This paper presents a general introduction to the technical as well as policy aspects involved in the restoration of degraded forest ecosystems and the approach to sustainable forestry in China. (C) 2004 Published by Elsevier B.V.