Exploiting pattern and sustainable development of marginal lands in the Three Gorge Reservoir Areas

This paper studied the distribution and utilization status, reasonable exploitation patterns and potential productivity, and sustainable development of marginal lands in the Three Gorge Reservoir Areas. It has been pointed that problems of the soil fertility degradation, poor productivity in crop lands, natural disasters and environmental deterioration existed in all the exploited marginal lands. In order to maintain the sustainability of the marginal lands, following measure have been proposed: prohibiting cultivation in the crop lands with a slope more than 25 degrees, restoring vegetation in the slope more than 25 degrees, strengthening the basic agricultural construction, establishing the production base of woody feeds and oils, establishing a multi-dimensional management model with reasonable structure and optimum function for forestry, agriculture and fishing.