Abstract:

This paper is presented as a summarized conclusion of the discussions on “The Eco-environmental Construction in the Great West Development",which were published in 2 successive issues of “Scientia Silvae Sinicae". In this paper the concept and content of eco-environmental construction and its place and significance in the Great West development strategy are briefly expounded. Six basic principles which should be followed in eco-environmental construction in the Great West are put forward: the eco-environmental construction should be regionally and site specific and oriented to specifics of environmental damages; the natural protection or conservation should be put as the first priority with high respect to the nature; multipul measures chould be implemented with the forest/grassland rehabilitation as the basic measure;the ecological and economical interests should be combined together with the emphasis put on ecological effect; the all round planning should be made with system of coordinated measures to ensure successful improvement; the financial input should be enlarged and the mass participation of the people should be encouraged. In the last section some problems having emerged in the implementation process and some points with diverse opinions were discussed: the management orientation of the “Natural Forest Conservation Project"; the selection of vegetation types in implementing the “Cropland Convesion to Forest/Grassland Project"; the methods and techniques for forest/grassland vegetation construction; the relationship between eco-environmental construction and water resources.

Key words: Great West region, Eco-environmental construction, Ecological restoration