Assessing the effects of ecological restoration approaches in the alpine rangelands of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Ecological restoration has increased in prominence since the last century as an active way to reverse ecosystem deterioration derived from human interventions. The goal of this study was to assess the impact of restoration approaches on ecological and economic conditions of typical regions in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Data were collected using structured questionnaires delivered to 195 herders living in areas with average elevation above 3773 m. Land use maps, MODIS images, and government statistics were also used for the study. It was found that local herders have adopted five major approaches, i.e. enclosure, grazing prohibition, enclosure + deratization, enclosure + deratization + grass seeding, and enclosure + deratization + crop-forage cultivation + warm sheds, to ensure success of the restoration programs initiated by the government. The results show that vegetation coverage, especially for high and very high coverage grasslands, increased across the study sites and across approaches used, with a high grassland recovery rate observed in the areas where either grazing is prohibited or grassland management was dominated by integration approaches. Furthermore, households who employed integrated approaches tended to have more animals to rear, higher capability of resisting risks, and higher income than those who did not. These findings imply that balanced ecological and economic development is possible when appropriate management approaches are adopted. However, evaluation and monitoring of grassland conditions are needed to readjust restoration policy and associated approaches in a timely manner.