sustainable management of the restored …...chickens whose daily feedstuff was dandelion compositae...

Sustainable Management of the Restored Hunshandake Sandland:

Basic Scientific Research and Income Generation

Progress Report of SUMAMAD Activities

2011

Image © Thomas Schaaf

Sustainable Management of Marginal Drylands (SUMAMAD) (Phase 2)

Hunshandake Sand area/Xilin Gol Biosphere Reserve in China

Annual Report for the Year of 2011

1. Project Site Information

a. Name of project site

Hunshandake Sand area/Xilin Gol Biosphere Reserve in China

b. Name of Project

Sustainable Management of the Restored Hunshandake Sandland: Basic Scientific

Research and Income Generation

c. Partner Institution

Institute of Botany, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Remin University of China,

Shandong Agriculture University, Hebei Agriculture University

d. Team leader and deputy team leader

Professor Jiang Gaoming, Ph.D Team leader

State Key Laboratory of Vegetation

Science and Environmental Change

Institute of Botany

Chinese Academy of Sciences

20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan

100093, Beijing

P. R. China

Tel: +8610 62836286

Fax: +8610 62590843

Mobile: 15801536801

E-mail: [email protected]

Dr Liu Menzhen Associate professor Deputy team leader

State Key Laboratory of Vegetation

Science and Environmental Change

Institute of Botany



100093 Beijing

P.R. China

Tel.: +8610 62836506

Fax: +8610 62830843


e. Project team members

Dr Zheng Yanhai

Associate Professor of the Institute of

Botany


Dr Li Yonggeng

Associate Professor of the Institute of

Botany


Dr Yu Shunli

Assistant Professor of the Institute of

Botany


Mr Wei Jiguang

Doctoral candidate of the Institute of

Botany


mailto:[email protected]

Professor Ma Zhong

Director of Environmental School of

the Remin University of China

Dr Wang Xiqin

Associate professor

Environmental School of the Remin

University of China

Dr Ning Tangyuan

Associate professor of the Shandong

Agriculture University

Mr Wu Guanglei

Doctoral candidate of the Shandong

Agriculture University

Professor Li Yuling

Heibei Agriculture University

Miss Li Caihong


Botany


Mr Li Yong


Botany


Miss Wang Binxue

Master student of the Institute of

Botany


Miss Meng Jie

Master student of the Institute of

Botany


2 Executive Summary

In 2011, four scientific researches activities were undertaken on the sustainable use of

natural resources in the Hunshandake Sandland:

a) The first activity comprised sampling and chemical analyses of nutrients in feeds

consumed by free-range chickens.

b) The second identified feed resources for free-range chickens in the Sandland. Higher

selective feeding was noted for plants from the Chenopodiaceae, Leguminosae and

Compositae families, and lower selective feeding for species from the Gramineous

family.

c) The third monitored changes in net primary production (NPP) of sandland after the

shift of land use, by conducting two north–south transects (5 km long and 100 m,

perpendicular to the main sand ridges, during the growing season.

d) The fourth ascertained land-use patterns by using satellite images, taken with GIS

technology, to calculate different land coverage (e.g., meadow, steppe, spare elm tree,

desert, crop farm).

Based on the success of the SUMAMAD project and the ten-year restoration of the degraded

Hunshandake Sandland ecosystem, the project team proposed an ambitious plan: to

establish the largest Eco-husbandry Industry Demonstration Region in China’s grassland.

This motion was fully discussed at different levels by the Director of the Institute of Botany,

Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the Deputy President of CAS, and involved

dialogue between officials of the Life Science Bureau of CAS and the Xiligol League of Inner

Mongolia, and noted scientists from different research institutes and universities.

The new land-use patterns now include chicken farming, baby cattle breeding and organic

tofu production, each of which has have been tested with five families. Ordinary families in

Bayinhushu Gacha have 2000 mu (1 ha=15 mu) of grassland. This triple land-use pattern

occupies merely 5%, 10% and 15% of the families’ land areas, respectively for chicken

farming, baby cattle breeding and organic tofu production. However, the income increased

from 50% to 100%. The 15 families are basically satisfied with the resulting income, even

though their land was used for other purposes such as biodiversity and carbon fixation.

A national seminar was held in Beijing in 2011, with delegates from the Chinese Academy of

Sciences, the Chinese Agriculture Academy of Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Inner

Mongolia Agriculture University, Lanzhou University, China Agriculture University, Arizona

State University (USA), and a reporter from the online news site, Science Times. The main

topic was the establishment of an eco-husbandry special region in Inner Mongolia to

enhance the sustainable development of the region’s economy and society. Noted scientists,

including two academics specializing in China’s grassland research and ecology studies,

attended the national seminar.

Six research papers together with four media reports concerning the achievements of the

SUMAMAD Hunshandake Sandland project have been published. Although there remain

difficulties in conducting the new income-generation activities, an increasing number of local

people and even local officials will hopefully become involved once the government realizes

the importance of the demonstration project, particularly if the State Council accepts the

recommendation of the scientists from the SUMAMAD project.

3. Project Activities in 2011

3.1. Fostering scientific drylands research

3.1.1 Sampling and chemical analysis of nutrients in feeds consumed by free-range

chickens

An innovative experiment in improving dryland livestock production has been conducted

since 2005 in the project site of Hunshandake Sandland. According to the main finding of

SUMAMAD Phase I, the sandland could be restored by natural processes. However, the key

to the sustainable development of husbandry and local society is to use less land while

producing greater profit. A solution was therefore proposed to replace cattle and goat with

poultry in grassland. The hypothesis is that poultry causes less destruction to the sandland

and creates higher economic feedback. Grassland not only provides free space for poultry,

but also natural feeds. It was therefore crucial to know what kind of nutrients from what kind

of herb species the free-range chickens consumed. During 2011, the project teams sampled

in particular, herb species, and chemically analysed the nutrients found in different organs

(e.g. leaves, seeds and twigs).

Some 15 native herbs were common in the free-range chicken farming experimental plots.

Ten species were sampled: Iris lacteal var. Chinensis, Astragalus adsurgens, Medicago

lupulina, Taraxacum mongolicum, Artemisia tanacetifolia, Thermopsis lanceolata, Potentulla

sericea, Carex duriuscula, Ranunculus japonicus, Leymus chinensis. Five hundred grams of

each of the species was sampled and sundried in the grassland. However, the samples were

dried in an electric stove at 80 °C prior to chemical analysis (Figure 1). All the samples were

analysed for water content, crude protein content, crude fat content, nitrogen-free extract,

coarse fibre content and nitrogen free extract content and ash. Each analysis was

undertaken three times.

Figure 1. Chemical analysis of the plants samples (Photo: Professor Jiang Gaoming).

Free-range chickens have strong selective feeding behaviours with regard to grassland

species. They primarily prefer grass blades, but have different selective feeding patterns for

common plants growing in the Hunshandake sandland, in particular, higher selective feeding

on plants from the Chenopodiaceae, Leguminosae and Compositae families, and lower

selective feeding on plants from the Gramineous family.

The feeding behaviours of free-range chicken demonstrated a close relationship between

feeding amounts and chemical content. Except for coarse fibre, which displayed a negative

correlation, there were significantly positive relations among grass-feeding amounts and

crude protein, crude fat and nitrogen free extract contents (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Correlation between: feeding amount and the content of crude protein content (a), crude fat content

nitrogen free extract (b), coarse fibre content (c) and nitrogen free extract content (d).

蛋白质含量（%）

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

日食草量

(g/d

)

0

2

4

6

8

脂肪含量（ %）

0 2 4 6

粗纤维含量 (%)

10 15 20 25 30 35

日食草量

(g/d

)

0

2

4

6

8

碳水化合物（ %）

30 35 40 45 50

R2 = 0.463P < 0.01

R2 = 0.378P < 0.01

R2 = 0.754P < 0.01

R2 = 0.668P < 0.01

a b

c d

Table 1. Comparison of free-range chicken feedstuffs by species and plant

Number Family name Plant name Daily feedstuffs（g/each）

1

Leguminosae

Astragalus adsurgens 5.89 ± 0.484(a)

2 Medicago lupulina 6.75 ± 0.144(a)

3 Caragana microphylia 0.33 ± 0.096(c)

4 Hedysarum laeve 0.38 ± 0.073(c)

5 Thermopsis lanceolata 0.78 ± 0.088(c)

6 Vicia sepium 1.80 ± 0.153(b)

7

Gramineae

Leymus chinensis 0.80 ± 0.115(a)

8 Puccinellia tenuiflora 1.50 ± 0.115(a)

9 Lolium perenne L. 1.00 ± 0.347(a)

10 Cleistogenes squarrosa 0.90 ± 0.058(a)

11 Setaria viridis 0.89 ± 0.075(a)

12

Compositae

Artemisia frigida 0(d)

13 Artemisia ordosica 0(d)

14 Taraxacum officinale 7.11 ± 0.131(a)

15 Echinops latifolius 1.70 ± 0.166(b)

16 Artemisia tanacetifolia 1.15 ± 0.076(b)

17 Artemisia subulata 0.75 ± 0.115(c)

18

Chenopodiaceae

Chenopodium glacilima 8.50 ± 0.289(a)

19 Chenopodium acuminatum 6.17 ± 0.441(b)

20 Bassia dasyphylla 4.00 ±0.509(c)

21

Rosaceae

Potentilla acaulis 2.89 ± 0.294(a)

22 Potentilla bifurca 2.67 ± 0.441(a)

23 Spiraea aquilegifolia 1.44 ± 0.222(b)

24 Rosa rugosa 2.58 ± 0.395(a)

25 Potentulla sericea 0(c)

Note: Similar letters for the same row indicate non-significant difference at P<0.05

3.1.2 Identification of feed resources for free-range chicken in the sandland

Chicken farming not only utilizes grassland space, but also uses the natural feeds. The seeds

and leaves of herbs in grassland are ideal feeds for free-range chickens. As all the grasses

depend on natural precipitation, and chickens consume fewer grasses than big mammals,

such patterns of land use can enable the sustainable utilization of water resources. The

project also investigated selective feeding behaviours on plant species in the grassland. The

impacts from chicken farming in different habitats in Hunshandake Sandland (e.g. wetland

and fixed sand dune), were also compared. All experiments were carried out on the large

free-range chicken-farming platform, which is designed according to chicken density (250,

500, 750, 1000 chickens/hm2).

Free-range chickens, also have different selective feeding behaviours among different

species. For instance, the daily feeding of each chicken on Alfalfa was approximately 6.75 g,

while selective feeding on Caragana microphylla and Thermopsis lanceolata was less than

1 g. Chickens whose daily feedstuff was dandelion Compositae consumed 7.11g. For all

kinds of Compositae and artemisia plants, free-range chickens did not or scarcely consumed

as daily feedstuff. It was found that grassland chickens had different selective feeding on

plants growing in different habitats in Hunshandake Sandland: higher selective feeding on

Chenopodiaceae growing in wetlands, and lower selective feeding on plants in fixed sand

dunes. This indicates that grassland chickens had little effect on plants in the fixed sand

dunes of the grassland ecosystem in Hunshandake Sandland (Tables 2 and 3).

Table 2. Water content and nutrient component of some common plants

Plant species Water content

(%)

Nutrient component（%）

Crude protein Coarse fibre Crude fat Nitrogen free extract Ash

Iris lacteal var. Chinensis 73.7±0.54(e) 7.8±0.58(e) 3.0±0.15(c) 36.5±0.38(a) 33.4±1.10(c) 9.7±0.54(e)

Astragalus adsurgens 78.0±0.33(c) 21.6±1.37(b) 2.9±0.11(c) 20.3±0.94(e) 43.7±1.93(a) 7.4±0.43(f)

Medicago lupulina 77.4±0.53(c) 26.3±0.64(a) 4.5±0.15(b) 17.5±0.87(f) 42.6±1.20(a) 6.8±0.26(f)

Taraxacum mongolicum 85.7±0.44(a) 21.7±0.87(b) 5.6±0.10(a) 16.1±0.31(f) 40.8±0.76(a) 16.0±1.39(b)

Artemisia tanacetifolia 75.4±0.38(d) 10.4±0.46(d) 4.2±0.10(b) 26.0±0.66(c) 38.6±1.35(b) 11.6±0.83(d)

Thermopsis lanceolata 74.0±0.56(e) 25.2±1.12(a) 2.3±0.06(d) 27.1±0.94(c) 34.5±0.98(c) 6.7±0.10(f)

Potentulla sericea 67.4±0.32(g) 9.7±0.83(d) 4.2±0.08(b) 27.8±0.23(c) 34.9±0.21(c) 14.1±0.61(b)

Carex duriuscula 83.9±0.48(b) 6.1±0.11(e) 3.2±0.09(c) 32.4±0.33(b) 32.9±1.09(c) 18.7±0.36(a)

Ranunculus japonicus 70.6±0.30(f) 16.3±0.79(c) 3.4±0.33(c) 22.7±1.49(d) 32.6±0.39(c) 14.6±0.54(b)

Leymus chinensis 65.5±0.34(h) 10.1±0.66(d) 3.2±0.16(c) 34.6±0.35(a) 31.5±0.95(c) 12.8±0.52(c)

Note: Similar letters at the same row indicate non-significant difference at P<0.05

Table 3. Name, habitats and everyday feeding amount of free-range chicken of some

common plants in Hunshandake Sandland

Numb

er Latin name Family name Habitat

Day feedstuffs

（g/each）

1 Iris lacteal var.

Chinensis Iridaceae Lowland 0（f）

2 Astragalus adsurgens Leguminosae Lowland 5.9 ± 0.484（b）

3 Medicago lupulina Leguminosae Lowland 6.8 ± 0.144 （a,b）

4 Taraxacum

mongolicum

Chenopodiace

ae Wetland 7.1 ± 0.131（a）

5 Artemisia tanacetifolia Chenopodiace

ae Lowland 1.2 ± 0.076（d）

6 Thermopsis

lanceolata Leguminosae Lowland 0.8 ± 0.088 （e）

7 Potentulla sericea Rosaceae Lowland 2.9 ± 0.294 （c）

8 Carex duriuscula Cyperaceae Wetland 0（f）

9 Ranunculus japonicus Adiantaceae Wetland 1.9 ± 0.220 （d）

10 Leymus chinensis Gramineae Fixed sand

dunes 0.8 ± 0.115（e）

Note: Similar letters at the same row indicate non-significant difference at P<0.05

3.1.3 NPP monitoring and land-use patterns

To monitor changes in net primary production (NPP) of sandland after the shift in land use in

2011, the project conducted two north–south transects (5 km long and 100 m, perpendicular

to the main sand ridges), during the growing season. Habitat types and vegetation were

surveyed at 100 m intervals. The diameter at breast height (DBH, 1.3 m above ground),

height (H) and crown diameter (CD) for every tree (DBH ≥ 5 cm) encountered were recorded.

Measurements and accounts were made for the trees species Ulmus pumila, Malus baccata,

Betula fruticosa and Padus racemosa. Since trees other than Siberian elm account for less

than 5% of tree density, they were treated as elms when calculating biomass and NPP.

Five 4 m2 clipping plots per habitat were sampled for fixed, semi-fixed and shifting dunes, and

five 1 m2 plots per habitat were sampled for lowlands and wetlands. All the measurements

were conducted in late August, when the maximum biomass was observed. The

aboveground biomass was clipped and collected manually, while belowground biomass was

sampled in each plot with three soil cores (inner diameter of 8 cm) to the depth of 50 cm by

10 cm intervals. Wetland soil cores were not separated into different layers. Belowground live

roots were rinsed out. All the parts were oven-dried to a constant weight at 85 °C and

weighed. A total of 76 clipping plots were done to estimate the contribution of NPP from

grasses in the study area.

For land-use patterns, the project calculated different land coverage, (e.g. meadow, steppe,

spare elm tree, desert, crop farm, based on a satellite picture, using GIS technology. Data

were processed in the State Key Laboratory of Vegetation Science and Environmental

Change, Institute of Botany, the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Figure 3. The land-use pattern of Zhenglan Banner in Hunshadake Sandland showing the distribution patterns of

sandland ecosystem, which merits conservation in the form of a natural reserve. Most of the land is used for

pasture, except Ha Biriga Town in the south.

3.2. Preparation of policy-relevant guidelines for decision-makers in drylands

3.2.1. Developing scenarios for land-use changes (also in the context of climate change)

including the assessment of trade-offs and economic valuation of dryland services

The achievements of the Hunshandake project have strongly influenced the sustainable

management of China’s grassland. In 2011, according to the project’s social study on the

shifting of land-use (from large and middle-sized mammals to poultry), some families began

to use less land for economic production, and to leave large areas for biodiversity

conservation. This was achieved because of the increase in net income, from 80% to 100%.

The new land-use patterns now include chicken farming, baby cattle breeding and organic

tofu production. Ordinary families in Bayinhushu Gacha have 2000 mu (1 ha=15 mu) of

grassland. This triple land-use pattern occupies merely 5%, 10% and 15% of the families’

land areas, respectively for chicken farming, baby cattle breeding and organic tofu

production.

3.2.2. Interfacing with relevant policy-formulation institutions and processes in the respective

countries

Based on the success of the SUMAMAD project and the ten-year restoration of the degraded

Hunshandake Sandland ecosystem, the project team proposed an ambitious plan: to

establish the largest Eco-husbandry Industry Demonstration Region in China’s grassland.

From 1to 5 August 2011, an important meeting was held between the officials of the Xilingol

League, the heads of the Life Science Bureau of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the

Institute of Botany of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IBCAS), and the members of the

SUMAMAD project. The main task of the meeting was to explore the possibility of enlarging

the Bayinhushu Model into one whole Banner1, forming a special demonstration region. The

main idea of the newly designed demonstration region (10,000 km2) was to use merely 10%

of the grassland thereby protecting the remaining 90% of land, while increasing the income of

the local people by 50% to 100%. Mr. Sixin Bilige, President of the Xilingol League, and

Academician Fang Jingyun, Director of IBCAS, Professor Zhang Zhibin, Director of Life

Science Bureau of CAS, and other decision-makers from both the Chinese Academy of

Sciences and the Xilingol League, Inner Mongolia, attended the five-days meeting and field

trip investigation. The central idea, however, belonged to Professor Dr Jiang Gaoming, head

of the SUMAMAD Hunshandake project.

On 7 November 2011, another important meeting was held in the CAS headquarters.

Academician Fang Jingyun and Professor Jiang Gaoming, together with a number of

principle researchers from IBCAS, participated in the meeting. The working group from

IBCAS responsible for designing the largest eco-husbandry industry demonstration special

regions, reported to Academician Li Jiayang, Deputy President of CAS. The Deputy

President highly appreciated and offered guidance on the innovative idea of constructing an

eco-husbandry industry demonstration region in Inner Mongolia. He also admired the

ten-year programme responsible for restoring degraded grassland in Bayinhushua Gacha.

Professor Jiang Gaoming now heads a special group charged with designing the huge

demonstration region. Top officials from CAS and Inner Mongolia will jointly forward the

eco-husbandry project to the State Council.

In November 2010, the leader of the SUMAMAD Hunshandake Project suggested to IBCAS

to take eco-husbandry industry as one of new research directions. Now the motion has been

1 A banner is an administrative division of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of

China.

fully accepted by IBCAS, and eco-husbandry has become one of the eight mainstream

research directors of IBCAS for the period of 2010-2020.

3.3. Promoting sustainable livelihoods in drylands

In order to promote sustainable livelihoods in the Hunshandake Sandland area, three main

approaches were tested during the year 2011. The approaches were based on a

four-member household with a land area of 2000 mu (1 ha=15 mu).

The first approach is livelihood-chicken farming. Some 100 mu was used to raise 2,500

free-range chickens in grassland. Taking into account a 95% death rate a profit of 10 CHY

(1 USD = 6.35 CHY) was achieved for each chicken, chicken farming alone has produced

2,375 CHY (Figure 4). Another 16,250 CHY was obtained from selling eggs produced by 500

hens (Figure 5). Five families were involved in these activities, five families, (e.g., Nasen

Wuritu, Hu Hetuge, Muqier, Narisong, Er’er Deng).

Figure 4. Free-range chicken farming in grassland: a new income-generating activity with higher economic

feedback but little environmental impact (Photo: Professor Jiang Gaoming).

Figure 5. Eggs from the grassland area. Such kinds of eggs are very attractive in large cities such as Beijing, and

each is marketed at 3 CHY, 10 times the price of normal eggs (Photo: Professor Jiang Gaoming).

Figure 6. Baby cattle in the grassland can grow at

a rate of 200 kg – 250 kg/growth season, selling

at a price of 3000-4000CHY (Photo: Professor

Jiang Gaoming).

The second approach is baby-cattle breeding. Some 200 mu of healthy grassland was used

for keeping only 20 cows to produce 20 baby cattle (each sells for as much as 3,100 CHY) for

further fattening in agricultural areas. About 63,000 CHY has been gained from baby cattle.

Five families, (e.g., Gang Temuer, Bate’er, Ga Riga, Hasi Beilige, Naili Ge) were involved in

this new form of income generation. The baby cattle were all sold to a cattle-feeding farm

based in Shandong.

The third approach is organic tofu production. The project helped local farmers to use 300 mu

for cow grazing, and to make full use of the milk to produce organic milk tofu. An average

amount of 5500 CHY has been raised by five families (e.g., Baolige, Saibilige, Er’erdeng

Bilige, Gang Suhe, Siqin Bilige). The organic tofu factory was run by a family unit, and

produced 1350 kg – 1400 kg/day milk tofu during the most productive days. The family

factory hired local people (mostly women) who could earn a salary 800 CHY per month.

Figure 7. Bayinhushu Gacha villagers making traditional milk tofu using natural materials (Photo: Professor Jiang

Gaoming).

Figure 8. Drying milk tofu in the sun (Photo: Professor Jiang Gaoming).

3.4. National seminar

A national seminar was held in Beijing from 29–30 October 2011. Thirty delegates from the

Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Chinese Agriculture Academy of Sciences, Inner

Mongolia University, Inner Monolia Agriculture University, Lanzhou University, China

Agriculture University, Arizona State University (USA), Beijing Normal University, China

Northeast Normal University and reporters from Science Times and Science and Technology

Daily, participated in the seminar. Academician Fang Jinyun, head of IBCAS, presented in

the seminar, and gave the key speech. The main topic was: ‘Establish the Eco-husbandry

Special Region to enhance the Sustainable Development of Economy and Society in Inner

Mongolia’.

Figure 9. National seminar of the SUMAMAD Hunshandake project:

establishing the largest Eco-husbandry Industry Demonstration Zone

in China’s grassland (Photo: Professor Jiang Gaoming).

The Deputy President of Beijing Branch of the Chinese

Academy of Sciences, together with Mr Zhao Cunfa, the

President of the Inner Mongolia Academy of Pasture and

Agriculture, also participated in the national seminar.

They represented the decision-makers of the local authority in Inner Mongolia and CAS. Mr

Duan Ziyuan, the Deputy Director of the Agriculture Office of CAS, responsible for the

cooperation project of CAS for agriculture and grassland areas, listened to the report made

by Professor Jiang Gaoming, who represented the SUMAMAD Hunshandake project team.

The main discussion points from the seminar were as follows:

1) The importance of establishing an eco-husbandry special region in the Hunshandake

Sand Area. The motion for the proposal was raised by the Hunshandake project, and based

upon CAS’s ten-year demonstration project and the eight-year SUMAMAD project in

Bayinhushu Gacha.

2) The economic and ecological benefits from replacing middle and large-sized

mammals with poultry in grassland.

3) The possibilities and approaches to increasing grassland productivity in order to

support more human beings and lessen the pressure from China’s huge population.

4) Organic food production and marketing in Inner Mongolia grassland, especially in the

Hunshandake Sandland area.

5) The potential for carbon sequestration and biodiversity conservation in China’s

sandlands, if well restored.

4. Results obtained and preliminary recommendations

On 7 August 2011, the State Council of China published an important document:

‘Suggestions and decisions on the Sustainable Development of the Husbandry in the

Grassland Regions of China’. The document firstly highlights the position of grassland from

an ecological function perspective. The government began to compensate the local farmers’

losses since 2010 if the grasslands were used for ecosystem restoration. The main

methodology employed by the Central Government draws upon proposals made by scientists

some ten years ago. The success of the recent restoration of 2226 ha of degraded sandland

in Bayin Hushu Gacha has provided strong evidence for policy changes. Previously, the

government had favoured planting popular trees in grassland. A list of recommendations from

the SUMAMAD Hunshandake Sandland project team can be found in Annex I.

From 1–5 August 2011, an important dialogue was held among officials of the Xilingol League,

heads of the Life Science Bureau of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, theInstitute of Botany,

Chinese Academy of Sciences (IBCAS), and members of the SUMAMAD project. One

important outcome of this dialogue was that Mr Siqin Bilige basically agreed to provide one

Banner or one same-sized area on behalf of the Xiligol League to co-construct the largest

eco-husbandry industry demonstration region in China. The central idea, however, belonged

to Professor Dr Jiang Gaoming, head of the SUMAMAD Hunshandake project.

On 7 November 2011, at CAS headquarters, Academician Fang Jingyun, Director of Institute

of Botany of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Professor Jiang Gaoming, Head of the

SUMAMAD Hunshandake Sandland project, and several other scientists from IBCAS

reported to Academician Li Jiayang, Deputy President of CAS about the innovative idea of

constructing an eco-husbandry industry demonstration region in Inner Mongolia. The Deputy

President ordered the scientists’ team to develop a practical plan for presentation to the State

Council of China. Professor Jiang Gaoming, heads the special group to design the huge

demonstration region.

In November 2010, the leader of the SUMAMAD Hunshandake Project suggested to IBCAS

that eco-husbandry industries be added as one of the new research direction. IBCAS has

now fully accepted the motion and eco-husbandry has become one of the eight mainstream

research directors of IBCAS for the period 2010–2020.

5. Problems and challenges

Local Mongolia farmers began to realize the benefits of new eco-jobs, such as free-range

chicken farming, baby cattle breeding and organic milk tofu production and selling, and 15

families have become involved. However, the Zhenglan Zhongke Science and Technology

Company, who used to buy the products from the project sites, experienced a financial

shortage during 2011 as a result of technological problems. This led to misunderstandings

between the project team and the company, as well as local farmers. Hopefully these will be

resolved when new funding arrives, either from the company or the government.

Wild animals, such as foxes and eagles, still constituted threats to free-ranges chicken

farming, causing losses. To resolve this problem, the project built 200 hundred small, wooden,

moveable chicken houses. However, the price was too high (300 CHY), and local farmers

refused to buy them. In 2011, skilled people were hired to weave moveable chicken houses

using native materials (Salix flavida).

Figure 10. Local farmers are weaving chicken houses using the native shrub Salix

(Photo: Professor Jiang Gaoming).

Marketing the eco-products produced by the project site is the most difficult task for the

scientists involved, as their experience and skills are scientific in nature rather than

business-oriented. This can lead to a crisis in trust, affecting the company, the local farmer,

and even the local government. Furthermore, some government funding was used to build

fences to protect the village’s entire lands, and some funding was wasted on buying milk

cows from Australia.

List of publications and media coverage

Su, B.Y., Li, Y.G., Su, H., Xu, H. and Jiang, G.M. 2011. Ecological and economic benefit of

chicken farming in Hunshandake Sandland, Science & Technology Review, Vol. 29,

No. 25, pp 19-25.

Wang, B.X. Jiang, G.M. 2011. Effect of chicken litter on grassland productivity

and environmental quality in a sandland ecosystem. Acta Ecologica Sinica, Vol. 31,

No 1, pp 14-23.

Li, G., Li, Y.G., Liu, M.Z. and Jiang, G.M. 2011. Vegetation biomass and net primary

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6. Objectives for 2012

a. Scientific research: during 2012 more attention will be paid to enhancing ecosystem

production by increasing water and nutrient-use efficiency.

b. Policy studies: the largest Eco-husbandry Industries Demonstration Region in China’s

grassland will be designed based upon the achievements of the twelve-year

Hunshandake Sandland Restoration Project and the eight-year SUMAMAD Project.

c. Income generation activities: these will encourage more people to become involved in

eco-jobs, leading to production specialization. Organic foods from the project site will

enter the Beijing market. Special organic food shops, such as those selling free-range

chicken produce, will open in Beijing. The main activities for 2011 are as followings:

7.1. Fostering scientific drylands research

a. Investigate the differential ecological effects of the manure rejections from goat, sheep

and chicken.

b. To investigate the growth patterns of free-range chickens in the grassland.

c. To study the differential responses of NPP to watering and fertilizers.

d. To monitor water movement (sap flow dynamics) in dominant tree species in

Hunshandake Sandland.

7.2. Preparation of policy-relevant guidelines for decision-makers in drylands

a. Prepare a proposal for the State Council for the sustainable use of natural resources in

grasslands, the main idea being to establish the largest Eco-husbandry Industries Special

Region in China’s grassland.

b. Disseminate suggestions on sustainable management for Inner Mongolia grassland

policy-makers and top-officials of China, via influential media in China, such as Xinhua News

Agency or People’s Daily.

c. Policy study on the development of alternative income-generating activities and

diversification of options including ecotourism, handicraft, medicine and forages.

7.3. Promoting sustainable livelihoods in drylands

a. Promote alternative income-generating activities such as forages, chicken farming and

ecotourism.

b. Develop and certify organic foods (chicken and milk) in Hunshandake Sandland.

c. Use liquid and solid wastes from the biogas plants to fertilizer the greenhouse, thereby

solving the vegetable shortage problem in Bayinhushu Gacha.

7.4. National seminar

a. The feasibility of establishing an Eco-husbandry Industry Demonstration Region:

opportunities and challenges

b. Utilization and conservation towards a sustainable livelihoods in semi-arid grassland

areas

c. The application of sustainable science on China’s sandland conservation and utilization.

8. Annex

Annex I. Suggestions raised by the Hunshandake Sandland project team and feedback

by top officials of China:

a. Premier Wen Jiabao wrote an official comment on chicken food quality safety in China

(including Inner Mongolia) (2007).

b. Vice Premier Hui Liangyu wrote an official comment on the Reason for Grassland

Degradation and Ecological Restoration in Inner Mongolia (2006).

c. Mr Lu Yongxiang, Vice Chairman of the countrywide National People's Congress, wrote

an official comment on the Misunderstandings of Land Degradation and Countermeasures

in Grassland Areas of China (2005).

d. Mr Han Qide, Chairman of the Jiu San Society Central Committee of China, wrote an

important official comment on the suggestion for ‘Using Crop Residue in Agricultural Areas

to Reduce the Pressure of Husbandry in Pastoral areas’ (2007).

e. Mr Yang Bangjie, the Vice Chairman of the Zhigong Party, visited the SUMAMAD Project

site (2005) and chaired an important meeting in Beijing on constructing China’s grassland

by following the project’s model.

f. People’s Daily (Top Officials Edition) accepted the project’s suggestion to use natural

reserves to help restore degraded ecosystems in China, and introduced the Hunshandake

Case study.

g. Vice President Li Jiayang of the Chinese Academy of Science gave the order to

introduce the motion for Establishing an Eco-husbandry Industry Demonstration Region in

China, raised by the SUMAMAD Hunshandake Sandland project team.

Annex II List of participants in the National Seminar, 2011

Professor Jingyun Fang, Academician

Director of IBCAS

Institute of Botany



Beijing 100093

People’s Republic of China


Professor Zhang Xin-Shi, Academician

Academician of CAS

Institute of Botany



Beijing 100093


Professor Le Kang

Head of Bureau of Life Sciences and

Biotechnology



Mr. Yang Ma

Deputy President

Beijing Branch


No.1 Building Zijin Digital Garden,

No.18 South Fourth Street,

Zhongguancun

Haidian District, Beijing100190

China

Tel: (+86-10)62661266

Mr Fengsong Liu

Deputy Director

Work Bureau of Academician



Mr Ziyuan Duan

Executive Vice Director

Agricultural Project Office


Dr Xuliang Zhuang

Director

Bureau of Science and Technology for

Resources and Environment


Tel.: (+86-10)68597540

Ms Xia Feng

Associate Researcher

Bureau of Science and Technology for

Resources and Environment


Professor Haichun Jing

Director of the Research Department

Institute of Botany


20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan,

Beijing 100093



Professor Song Ge

Vice Director of the IBCAS

Principal Investigator of the State Key

Laboratory of Systematic and

Evolutionary Botany

Institute of Botany



Beijing 100093








Professor Ming Dong

Executive Director

Principal Investigator

The State Key Laboratory of

Vegetation and Environmental Change

Institute of Botany



Beijing 100093



Professor Gaoming Jiang


Institute of Botany


Vice Secretary-General of China-MAB

Committee


Beijing 100093


Tel.: (+86-10) 62591431 ext. 6286,

6287

Fax: (+86-10) 62590843


Professor Xingguo Han


The State Key Laboratory of

Vegetation and Environmental Change

Institute of Botany

.Chinese Academy of Sciences


Beijing 100093



Professor Yongfei Bai

Executive Vice Supervisor


National Field Station for Grassland

Ecosystem in Xilingol

Inner Mongolia

Institute of Botany



Beijing 100093



Dr Meizhen Liu

Vice Investigator

Institute of Botany



Beijing 100093



Dr Shunli Yu

Vice Investigator

Institute of Botany



Beijing 100093



Dr Yanhai Zheng

Vice Investigator

Institute of Botany



Beijing 100093



Professor Zhongling Liu

Inner Mongolia University

Huhhot 010021


Professor Cunfa Zhao

President; Investigator

Inner Mongolia Academy of Agriculture

and Animal Husbandry Sciences

Tel.: 13347108868








Mr Yongzhi Liu

Vice President; Investigator



Tel.: 13500612386

Professor Guodong Han

Inner Mongolia Agriculture University

306 Zhaowuda Road, Hohhot

Inner Mongolia 010018



Ms Qi Xing

Investigator



Tel.: 13804717587

Ms Jinfeng Yun

Professor

College of Environment

Inner Mongolia Agriculture University

306 Zhaowuda Road

Huhhot 010018


Tel: 13947154041

Professor Xinshi Lu

Beijing Forestry University

No 35, Tsinghua East Road, Haidian

District

Beijing 100083



Professor Kun Wang

China Agricultural University

No. 17, Tsing Hua East Road

HaiDian District

Beijing 100083


Professor Jianguo Wu

Dean’s Distinguished Professor

Sustainability Science

School of Life Sciences & Global

Institute of Sustainability

Arizona State University


Professor Xiangyang Hou

Director; Investigator

Grassland Research Institute

Chinese Academy of Agriculture

Sciences


Mr Qingchuan Yang

Investigator

Institute of Animal Sciences

Chinese Academy of Agricultural

Sciences


Mr Ruijun Long

Professor

Lanzhou University

No 222, Tianshui South Road

Lanzhou 730000



Mr Deli Wang

Professor

Northeast Normal University

5268 Renmin Street

Changchun130024, Jilin Province



Dr Caihong Li

Institute of Botany



Beijing 100093












Dr Zhen Zhen

Institute of Botany



Beijing 100093



Miss Jing Li

Postgraduate

Institute of Botany



Beijing 100093



Miss Jie Meng

Postgraduate

Institute of Botany



Beijing 100093



Miss Wenjing Bo

Postgraduate

Institute of Botany



Beijing 100093



Mr Haitao Liu

Postgraduate

Institute of Botany



Beijing 100093








sustainable management of the restored …...chickens whose daily feedstuff was dandelion compositae...

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