As mentioned earlier, the
Great Khingan brought a generous amount of trees for humans to use. More
railroads were built across the forests for convenient transportation. In
addition, the ecosystem also benefits the economy. During Guangxu 32 years,
huge amount of gold was found, which brought a great fortune to the country.
Moreover, even nowadays people who inhabited in the north of the forest still
make their living of felling and hunting. In addition, the biodiversity of the
forest makes a great contribution to human’s ecology study.
Map of the Great Khingan Area
The location of the Great Khingan Area in China
As one of the most diverse
forests in China, the Great Khingan Forest was originally formed during the
Jurassic orogeny period. Date back to the early Qing density, the Hans were
forbiddened to enter the forest, so the forest easily maintained its great
diversity. The Siberian and Manchurian floras largely influenced the dense
forest. Precious pine, Mongalian oak tree, birch and other rare species are
largely grown in the forests. Also animals like deer, sable, brown bear and
more than 1000 species of wildlives can be easily found in the forest.
However, the ecosystem of the
Great Khingan was eventually affected by humans. During the colonization of
Japan (1931-1945), huge amount of trees were felled to build railroads.
Although the railroads made a great connection of the Great Khingan and the
Lesser Khingan and increased the transportation efficiency, the biodiversity
suffered serious damages. Moreover, the forest fire had always been a challenge
for the Great Khingan forest. In 1987, the May Six Fire was accidently lighted by a
forest worker, which lead the biggest wildfire in China’s history. The fire
lasted nearly a month and covered 10,000 square kilometers. Thousands of trees
were destroyed in the fire. The original ecosystem was badly damaged and would
take decades to recover.
In addition, the most serious and
ugly human impact on this ecosystem is deforestation. In pre-historical times,
The Great Khingan area had 34 millions hectares coved forest. In contrast, in
year 1988, The Great Khingan area had 15 millions hectares coved forest. More
than half of the forest has disappeared due to human activities like cropping. Moreover,
the conservation status is bad, as the Chinese government did not realize this
problem until the end of 20th century. Hence, the human impact on
this ecosystem is really ugly.
Map of deforestation grow in Great Khingan Area for the past 60 years
As
the major ecological crisis at the Great Khingan areas is the rapid
deforestation rate, there are following methods I believe can be effective in
improving the human impact on this ecosystem. First, government should play an
important role in encouraging and financially supporting to plant more trees in
order to achieve a sustainable ecological system. Government should also raise
the awareness among the public to raise funding to plant tree for the purpose
of conservation of the forest in Great Khingan area. In addition, government
should also implement some governmental policies to encourage domestic major
wood consumers to obtain their resources by importing from other countries.
Another way government can use to regulate and reduce the deforestation rate is
to increase the cost of cropping trees license and impose sales taxes on
locally cropped wood which will increase the price of the local cropped trees. At
the same time, the government and many non-profit organizations would work hard
on persuading consumers to use alternative resources which are more
environmental friendly for their massive production which will result in
decrease in demand of local cropped tree. Hence, with the price increased and
demand decreased, the supply of local cropped tree will eventually decrease to
a equilibrium points where the deforestation rate will reach zero. Therefore,
in order to achieve this goal , we, as different parties involved in this
issue, would have different responsibilities in insuring a better ecosystem for
future generation.
Table 2: Estimate of the Total Area of
Forests in Pre-Historic China
|
Province
|
Land
Currently
Suitable for
Forestry
(1,000 ha)
|
Built-up
Land
(1,000 ha)
|
Cropland
(1,000 ha)
|
Forested
Areas in
Pre-Historic
Times
(1,000 ha)
|
Forest
Cover
(1,000 ha,
% of total
area)
|
|
Beijing
|
630
|
90
|
409
|
1,129
|
67
|
|
Tianjin
|
50
|
75
|
430
|
555
|
50
|
|
Hebei
|
6,210
|
1,801
|
6,544
|
14,555
|
77
|
|
Shanxi
|
5,770
|
1,832
|
3,681
|
11,283
|
75
|
|
Inner Mongolia
|
44,094
|
4,705
|
5,082
|
53,881
|
49
|
|
Liaoning
|
6,710
|
1,647
|
3,452
|
11,809
|
79
|
|
Jilin
|
8,769
|
2,076
|
3,932
|
14,777
|
82
|
|
Heilongjiang
|
21,537
|
4,438
|
8,905
|
34,880
|
76
|
|
Shanghai
|
10
|
110
|
318
|
438
|
75
|
|
Jiangsu
|
504
|
567
|
4,522
|
5,592
|
56
|
|
Zhejiang
|
5,898
|
521
|
1,691
|
8,109
|
81
|
|
Anhui
|
3,550
|
478
|
4,334
|
8,462
|
64
|
|
Fujian
|
8,875
|
1,278
|
1,229
|
11,381
|
95
|
|
Jiangxi
|
10,578
|
1,765
|
2,337
|
14,680
|
92
|
|
Shandong
|
1,937
|
706
|
6,798
|
9,441
|
63
|
|
Henan
|
3,839
|
727
|
6,887
|
11,453
|
72
|
|
Hubei
|
7,403
|
1,830
|
3,422
|
12,654
|
70
|
|
Hunan
|
11,730
|
2,056
|
3,296
|
17,082
|
81
|
|
Guangdong
|
12,244
|
3,478
|
2,879
|
18,601
|
85
|
|
Guangxi
|
13,963
|
2,694
|
2,611
|
19,268
|
84
|
|
Sichuan
|
19,031
|
6,764
|
6,256
|
32,050
|
57
|
|
Guizhou
|
9,010
|
2,067
|
1,849
|
12,926
|
76
|
|
Yunan
|
26,124
|
4,085
|
2,858
|
33,062
|
87
|
|
Tibet
|
11,721
|
832
|
224
|
12,777
|
11
|
|
Shaanxi
|
12,487
|
2,234
|
3,488
|
18,208
|
96
|
|
Gansu
|
6,132
|
3,226
|
3,482
|
12,839
|
33
|
|
Qinghai
|
3,037
|
1,323
|
580
|
4,940
|
7
|
|
Ningxia
|
621
|
599
|
801
|
2,021
|
31
|
|
Xinjiang
|
2,694
|
4,084
|
3,134
|
9,911
|
6
|
|
Taiwan
|
1,970
|
166
|
1,284
|
3,420
|
95
|
|
Total
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
413,983
|
43
|
Table 3: Forest Cover in 1948 China (1,000
ha)
|
Region
|
Actually Forested Area
|
Land Suitable for Forest Cover
|
|
Northeast
|
30,690
|
38,062
|
|
Northwest
|
6,156
|
94,928
|
|
Shaanxi
|
1,990
|
4,682
|
|
Gansu
|
2,285
|
8,760
|
|
Ningxia
|
59
|
7,864
|
|
Qinghai
|
1,456
|
34,225
|
|
Xinjiang
|
366
|
39,397
|
|
Southwest
|
26,676
|
80,227
|
|
Sichuan
|
8,289
|
6,055
|
|
Xikang
|
6,139
|
22,690
|
|
Guizhou
|
1,588
|
7,236
|
|
Yunan
|
9,167
|
10,762
|
|
Tibet
|
1,493
|
33,485
|
|
East
|
5,866
|
16,279
|
|
Jiangsu
|
275
|
1,838
|
|
Zhejiang
|
808
|
2,122
|
|
Anhui
|
713
|
3,567
|
|
Shandong
|
108
|
4,504
|
|
Fujian
|
2,179
|
3,753
|
|
Taiwan
|
1,783
|
496
|
|
Central South
|
11,921
|
35,611
|
|
Henan
|
103
|
5,061
|
|
Hubei
|
2,367
|
4,917
|
|
Hunan
|
4,094
|
6,679
|
|
Jiangxi
|
2,019
|
4,542
|
|
Guangdong
|
2,238
|
6,715
|
|
Guangxi
|
1,099
|
7,696
|
|
North
|
1,496
|
24,487
|
|
Hebei
|
126
|
4,089
|
|
Chahar
|
155
|
7,350
|
|
Suiyuan
|
243
|
7,545
|
|
Shanxi
|
971
|
5,503
|
|
Total
|
82,805
|
289,594
|
|
Source: Lee Ting et. al. (ed.) Forestry of
Contemporary China (The Social Sciences Publishers of
China: Beijing, 1985) pp. 608-9. This Table draws on The
Classification of Lands in China,
published by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of the
Guomindang government (January,
1948)
|
||
Table 4: An Alternative
Estimate of Forest Cover in 1948 China
|
Province
|
Forested Area
(1,000 ha)
|
Growing Stock
(million m3)
|
|
Hebei
|
635
|
10
|
|
Shanxi
|
367
|
10
|
|
Inner Mongolia
|
13,740
|
848
|
|
Liaoning
|
1,884
|
67
|
|
Jilin
|
4,270
|
610
|
|
Heilongjiang
|
16,707
|
1848
|
|
Jiangsu
|
275
|
4
|
|
Zhejiang
|
808
|
13
|
|
Anhui
|
713
|
22
|
|
Fujian
|
2,179
|
120
|
|
Jiangxi
|
2,019
|
72
|
|
Shandong
|
108
|
1
|
|
Henan
|
103
|
4
|
|
Hubei
|
2,367
|
52
|
|
Hunan
|
4,094
|
171
|
|
Guangdong
|
3,720
|
106
|
|
Guangxi
|
1,099
|
34
|
|
Sichuan
|
8,700
|
1,600
|
|
Guizhou
|
1,588
|
87
|
|
Yunan
|
9,167
|
908
|
|
Tibet
|
6,320
|
1,436
|
|
Shaanxi
|
1,990
|
87
|
|
Gansu
|
2,285
|
231
|
|
Qinghai
|
191
|
21
|
|
Ningxia
|
59
|
3
|
|
Xinjiang
|
366
|
54
|
|
Taiwan
|
1,783
|
205
|
|
Total
|
87,538
|
8,624
|
|
Total Coverage
|
9.1%
|
-
|
Table 5: Forest Cover in
China - 1976, 1981, and 1988 (1,000 ha).
|
Province
|
1976
|
1981
|
1988
|
|
Beijing
|
200
|
144
|
215
|
|
Tianjin
|
30
|
30
|
62
|
|
Hebei
|
2,010
|
1,677
|
2,011
|
|
Shanxi
|
1,090
|
810
|
993
|
|
Inner Mongolia
|
10,700
|
13,740
|
13,836
|
|
Liaoning
|
3,420
|
3,653
|
3,939
|
|
Jilin
|
6,510
|
6,079
|
6,231
|
|
Heilongjiang
|
16,660
|
15,294
|
15,615
|
|
Shanghai
|
10
|
8
|
9
|
|
Jiangsu
|
340
|
325
|
386
|
|
Zhejiang
|
3,960
|
3,429
|
4,037
|
|
Anhui
|
1,750
|
1,792
|
2,261
|
|
Fujian
|
5,900
|
4,496
|
5,003
|
|
Jiangxi
|
6,100
|
5,462
|
5,992
|
|
Shandong
|
1,320
|
905
|
1,596
|
|
Henan
|
1,790
|
1,420
|
1,571
|
|
Hubei
|
4,360
|
3,779
|
3,854
|
|
Hunan
|
6,580
|
6,872
|
6,754
|
|
Guangdong
|
7,480
|
5,879
|
4,864
|
|
Hainan
|
-
|
-
|
866
|
|
Guangxi
|
5,510
|
5,227
|
5,227
|
|
Sichuan
|
7,460
|
6,811
|
10,872
|
|
Guizhou
|
2,561
|
2,309
|
2,221
|
|
Yunan
|
9,560
|
9,197
|
9,327
|
|
Tibet
|
6,320
|
6,320
|
6,320
|
|
Shaanxi
|
4,580
|
4,471
|
4,708
|
|
Gansu
|
1,870
|
1,769
|
2,029
|
|
Qinghai
|
190
|
195
|
266
|
|
Ningxia
|
60
|
95
|
118
|
|
Xinjiang
|
1,440
|
1,121
|
1,497
|
|
Taiwan
|
2,069
|
1,970
|
1,970
|
|
Total
|
121,860
|
115,277
|
124,653
|
Table 6: Growing Stock
in China's Forests - 1976, 1981 and 1988
(million m3)
|
Provinces
|
Total 1976
Growing
Stock
|
Total 1981
Growing
Stock
|
Total 1988
Growing
Stock
|
Forests
1976
|
Forests
1981
|
Forests
1988
|
|
Beijing
|
4
|
4
|
5
|
3
|
1
|
4
|
|
Tianjin
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
|
Hebei
|
73
|
48
|
62
|
62
|
26
|
43
|
|
Shanxi
|
57
|
53
|
45
|
39
|
33
|
38
|
|
Inner Mongolia
|
946
|
946
|
1,025
|
848
|
848
|
865
|
|
Liaoning
|
87
|
109
|
132
|
83
|
100
|
121
|
|
Jilin
|
730
|
711
|
760
|
695
|
608
|
710
|
|
Heilongjiang
|
1,580
|
1,552
|
1,481
|
1,468
|
1,434
|
1,317
|
|
Shanghai
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
Jiangsu
|
13
|
15
|
28
|
5
|
3
|
7
|
|
Zhejiang
|
82
|
99
|
101
|
63
|
79
|
88
|
|
Anhui
|
47
|
70
|
85
|
40
|
55
|
71
|
|
Fujian
|
243
|
431
|
379
|
224
|
296
|
264
|
|
Jiangxi
|
263
|
303
|
242
|
218
|
236
|
169
|
|
Shandong
|
23
|
24
|
47
|
12
|
5
|
11
|
|
Henan
|
79
|
68
|
92
|
50
|
32
|
40
|
|
Hubei
|
96
|
118
|
124
|
92
|
99
|
107
|
|
Hunan
|
189
|
199
|
183
|
150
|
160
|
141
|
|
Guangdong
|
212
|
232
|
152
|
199
|
203
|
128
|
|
Hainan
|
-
|
-
|
63
|
-
|
-
|
58
|
|
Guangxi
|
193
|
266
|
242
|
171
|
221
|
204
|
|
Sichuan
|
1,347
|
1,153
|
1,410
|
1,298
|
1,049
|
1,273
|
|
Guizhou
|
159
|
159
|
140
|
141
|
126
|
108
|
|
Yunan
|
989
|
1,321
|
1,349
|
946
|
1,097
|
1,097
|
|
Tibet
|
1,436
|
1,436
|
1,436
|
1,403
|
1,401
|
1,401
|
|
Shaanxi
|
244
|
279
|
295
|
243
|
252
|
259
|
|
Gansu
|
198
|
173
|
192
|
189
|
164
|
172
|
|
Qinghai
|
31
|
23
|
35
|
24
|
17
|
30
|
|
Ningxia
|
5
|
4
|
7
|
3
|
3
|
5
|
|
Xinjiang
|
237
|
235
|
232
|
213
|
200
|
183
|
|
Taiwan
|
186
|
227
|
227
|
186
|
227
|
227
|
Reference List:
1.
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