Abstract:

The indicator system establishment and type division are contents of social forestry research. This study investigated the indicators of the natural resource, social economy and the forest resources over the area of 87 counties in Gansu Province, among which 21 indicators were selected as the main bases used for the type division of social forestry system in Gansu Province according to the indicator selection principle. We conducted factor analysis and cluster analysis of the indicators with SPSS software. Produced 12 main factors of the natural resource, social economy and the forestry resources were analyzed by using hierarchical cluster, and the result indicated that 87 counties of Gansu Province were divided into five social forestry type areas. The five type areas were evaluated comprehensively in the light of the natural resource, social economy and the forest resources. According to the result of comprehensive evaluation，the development direction of social forestry about the five type areas were proposed.

Key words: social forestry, indicator system, type classification, comprehensive assessment, development trend, Gansu Province