"Close-to-nature-Forestry" as concept for the management of degraded and secondary forests in Western China

Within the framework of the cooperation between German Development Cooperation (GTZ) und University of Freiburg, this study will explore the environmental, social, economic and technical viability of the silvicultural concept of Close to Nature Forestry for the management of public forests in Western China. The study will evaluate the option of sustainably managing degraded and secondary forests as an alternative to the actual Chinese policy of natural forest protection and promotion of plantation forestry. The information will be collected in collaboration with the Forest Bureau of Xiaolongshan in the province Gansu. Until October 2006 the following activities will be worked out: determination of the productive potential of degraded and secondary forests in the study region; analysis of the social, economic and political conditions in the study region; identification of the environmental, social and economic implications of the logging ban in the study region; elaboration of operational elements to implement “Close-to-Nature-Forestry” in the study region; preliminary evaluation of “Close to Nature Forestry” to achieve environmental, social and economic goals defined by legal regulations and diverse actors in the study region.