A Forest Grows in China

The Qiang people mainly inhabit the valleys of the Minjiang River (a main branch of the Yangtze) in Sichuan Province. This region is important
for its mountain forests, which are a major source of water for the
Yangtze. What takes place in these mountain ecosystems has far-reaching
effects on the areas downstream. Large-scale deforestation and
population growth over the last four decades have resulted in serious
degradation in this area. In just four decades, it is estimated that
the forests have shrunk from 40 per cent of the land area to 10 per
cent. This has caused a loss of biodiversity.

From the beginning, the project to rehabilitate this watershed has incorporated indigenous knowledge of the Qiang people. Their knowledge
of medicinal plants has played an important role in the conservation of
biodiversity, and Qiang practices of forest management and
home-gardening have been integrated into the project. Because the
collection and cultivation of plants for herbal medicines were an
important source of income for the Qiang people, the cultivation of
these plants was integrated into the project to plant trees. This
helped to guarantee the participation of local farmers in ecological
conservation, which in turn increased the economic return from the
reforestation investment.

At present trees are being planted in terraces: i.e. horizontal bands of original vegetation (shrubs and gra****) are alternated with bands that
are planted with tree seedlings. Indigenous species are preserved in
the bands of original vegetation, which also prevent soil erosion. In
the area where the Qiang live, the collection of wild medicinal plants
is a traditional source of income. Some of the plants are used locally,
but most are sold. Because of this market, Qiang farmers cleared fields
for cultivating the plants on a large scale in addition to growing them
in their home gardens. This indigenous agroforestry model—meaning that
the people know exactly which plants to cultivate and how--was
incorporated into the national projects. This not only maintains local
traditions of forestry management but also promotes the participation
of local people in conservation projects.

The practice provides income for local people and guarantees their participation in the project. This reduces the need for government and
development agencies to make large investments. The practice of
alternating bands of new trees with bands of original vegetation
creates an ideal habitat for medicinal plant cultivation, increases the
diversity of species in forest stands, and protects the soil against
erosion from water runoff. It is common in China for reforestation
projects to ban local people from entering the woodlands. But the Qiang
people have a tradition of cultivating medicinal plants in common
woodlands and around their homes. If this had not been taken into
account, the reforestation project would not have been sustainable. It
is sustainable because it not only focused on planting trees; it also
opened up the woodlands to local people. They may cultivate medicinal
plants under the tree canopy as they have always done. Because these
plants need shade, local people have always understood the need to
plant trees first. This step in their indigenous practice is now
supported by project funds, but they still finance the cultivation of
medicinal plants themselves. This cultivation surely increases the
diversity of woodlands, and if reforestation projects are managed in
this way, local people will surely protect the newly reforested lands.
The traditional medicinal knowledge of the Qiang people has acquired
higher status as a result of the reforestation project. This helps to
ensure that local traditions are passed on to future generations. The
cultivation of plants for herbal medicine is very popular in China and
not only limited to one ethnic group. But each group has its own
species and practices. Planting trees in terraces on slopes is an
extension of the indigenous practice of the Qiang people, who planted
cash crops in this way, including the Zanthoxylum, a kind of pepper
which has traditionally provided one of the Qiang's traditional
remedies.

(From: http://www.kivu.com/wbbook/casestudies.html)