Abstract:Understanding the comprehensive ecological benefits of the first round of Grain for Green Project is of great guiding significance to the implementation of the new round of the project and relevant policy formulation. In this study, ecological services such as water conservation, soil conservation, carbon fixation and oxygen release, nutrient accumulation in trees, air purification and biodiversity protection were used as evaluation indexes to systematically evaluate the first round of returning farmland to forest in Yichang. The results showed that in the first round of Grain for Green Project in Yichang, 122100 hectares were afforested, among which 49500 hectares were returned to forest, 69700 hectares were afforested on barren mountains and wastelands suitable for forest, and 2900 hectares were afforested for facilitate afforestation. Afforestation stands were mainly ecological forest, followed by economic forest. The area of young forest and medium forest was close, and the area of near mature forest was the largest. The quality and value of ecological benefits of different models of Grain for Green Project were shown as afforestation of barren mountain and wasteland＞returning farmland to forest and＞facilitate afforestation. The total annual ecological value of the project was 7.907 billion RMB, among which the ecological benefit value of returning farmland to forest, afforestation of barren mountains and wasteland, and facilitate afforestation were 3.219 billion RMB, 4.503 billion RMB and 0.185 billion RMB, respectively.
