2003 National Key Forestry Ecological Engineering Socio-economic Benefit Monitoring Report

Author: National Social Benefit Monitoring Center of Key Forestry Projects
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-08-01
Features: Expert Opinion on the Social and Economic Benefit Monitoring Report of Key Ecological Forestry Projects
The National Forestry Bureau's Science and Technology Committee organized an expert review meeting for the Monitoring Report of the Social and Economic Benefits of Key Ecological Forestry Projects (hereinafter referred to as the Monitoring Report) on January 11, 2005, in Beijing. The meeting was chaired by Jiang Zehui, Member of the Party Group of the National Forestry Bureau, Deputy Director of the Science and Technology Committee of the National Forestry Bureau, and President of the Chinese Academy of Forestry. A total of 18 experts and leaders from scientific research, teaching, professional monitoring, and survey units, including the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing Forestry University, the Rural Survey Team of the National Bureau of Statistics, and the Fixed Observation Point Office of the Central Policy Research Office under the Ministry of Agriculture, as well as relevant departments and units of the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Finance, and the National Forestry Bureau, attended the meeting.
The attending experts listened to a report from the National Social Benefit Monitoring Center of Key Forestry Projects on the main conclusions and policy recommendations of the social and economic benefit monitoring of three key forestry projects: the Natural Forest Protection Program, the Grain for Green Program, and the Beijing-Tianjin Sandstorm Source Control Program. Based on a detailed review of the Monitoring Report, after careful discussion and deliberation, the following opinions were formed:
1. The six major forestry projects represent a significant adjustment of the forestry production layout and serve as a vehicle for leapfrog development in forestry. Promoting forestry construction through project-based approaches has proven to be a successful experience in accelerating ecological construction and forestry development in China. Accurately grasping the progress of the projects, promptly identifying new situations and issues that arise during implementation, and adjusting relevant policies in a timely manner are crucial for ensuring the projects are implemented smoothly according to their predetermined goals. Conducting monitoring and reporting work is a major measure to fully implement the Decision of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on Accelerating Forestry Development and a concrete action to establish and implement the scientific outlook on development. It is of great significance for promoting the sustainable, rapid, and healthy coordinated development of forestry.
2. The Monitoring Report focuses on the social, economic, and ecological benefits generated by the implementation of the three major national ecological forestry projects. It designs an indicator system that reflects the characteristics and impacts of the projects, scientifically and reasonably samples from 22 provinces (municipalities, and autonomous regions) across the country, and preliminarily establishes a basic database. Based on this, it conducts objective analyses on aspects such as project implementation, policy implementation, socio-economic development, and ecological condition improvement. The data and analysis results obtained are credible. At the same time, it tracks the development trends of the projects, strengthens early warning and forecasting of the implementation status of key forestry projects, and attempts to establish a monitoring and evaluation system for the social and economic benefits of key forestry projects, filling the gap in China's monitoring and evaluation of the social and economic benefits of forestry ecological construction.
3. The Monitoring Report has a clear structure, clear objectives, highlights key points, and maintains objectivity and fairness. The monitoring revolves around the goals set in the project implementation plans and adopts scientific methods to conduct rigorous analysis of the 870,000 data collected at both macro and micro levels. The preliminary monitoring conclusions include:
(1) In the Natural Forest Protection Program areas, timber harvesting and production reduction have been fully implemented, forest resource management tasks have been fully carried out, and most of the surplus workers determined by the planning scheme have been transferred and resettled. The industrial structure has tended to optimize, but reforms are lagging, with a large number of non-planned personnel awaiting resettlement, and enterprises are facing economic difficulties.
(2) In the Grain for Green Program, the proportion of ecological forests exceeds 80%, and the returned croplands are mainly steep slopes and desertified farmland. The distribution of funds and grain has generally run smoothly, and farmers have high enthusiasm for returning croplands. The implementation of the program has had little impact on grain production, but in some areas, due to insufficient follow-up industrial development and supporting measures, there is a possibility of re-cultivation after the subsidy period expires.
(3) In the Beijing-Tianjin Sandstorm Source Control Program areas, the production and lifestyles of farmers and herdsmen have undergone positive changes, forest and grassland coverage has increased, and the trend of land desertification has been preliminarily reversed. However, the task of governance remains heavy.
The monitoring results objectively reflect the sound operation of key ecological forestry projects, demonstrating the important role of the projects in improving ecological conditions and promoting national economic and social development. They also reveal the problems encountered during project implementation, providing accurate and reliable decision-making references for the government to coordinate forestry and socio-economic development, formulate forestry policies, and improve all aspects of key forestry projects. The policy recommendations proposed in the Monitoring Report are of great reference value for promoting the construction of key forestry projects.
4. While fully affirming the Monitoring Report, the attending experts, in a spirit of truth-seeking, pragmatism, and high responsibility, also put forward the following suggestions and opinions:
(1) The Monitoring Report should provide more detailed basic data.
(2) The ecological monitoring indicators should be appropriately increased.
(3) Cooperation with relevant departments should be strengthened.
(4) The monitoring and evaluation system should be improved, and monitoring capacity should be enhanced.
January 11, 2005