Grassland protection in China should take a more integrated approach and synergise the resources of government, academic and NGO sectors, according to researchers and environmental NGOs.

In response to such needs, a Grassland Conservation Network was launched on September 3 in Beijing, with more than 30 people attending its first meeting. The Network, organised by Beijing Brooks Education Centre (天下溪教育咨询中心) and supported by the Ford Foundation, aims to enhance communication and information sharing among people involved in the area to improve their understanding and capacity.

China has nearly 400 million hectares of grassland, or 41.7% of the country's land area. However, more than 90% of the grassland suffers degradation, according to Chen Zuozhong (陈佐忠), a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Science who has spent more than 20 years in Inner Mongolia studying the issue.

Government and NGOs have spent billions of yuan to tackle the issue in the past two decades, particularly in the light of the increasingly frequent and serious sand storms affecting Northern China. But the result is not so positive: only 10% of the desertified land has been treated and 12% has recovered. Meanwhile, two million hectares of rangeland turns into desert each year.

Aside from natural causes, the lack of communication and coordination among decision-makers, researchers, business, NGOs and herders also contributes to the nightmare.

"Department interest sometimes plays a more important role in decision-making than scientific and logical study," Chen says. For example, a local forestry administration may plant trees in an area that does not fit for trees, just because they are given the money to do so.

People engaged in grassland conservation usually know little about what others are doing, which weakens the efficiency of their work.

"I hope this network will provide a platform that can break the boundary of individual projects," says Irene Bain, Ford Foundation's Program Officer for Environment and Development. She adds that it is vital for government, NGOs and researchers to listen to each other and work together, instead of working on their own.

Still in its infancy, the Network's major participants are from research institutions and environmental NGOs. The next step is to include decision makers and business leaders and have them listen to what others want to say about grassland conservation, thus influence the policy and enhance corporate social responsibility.

The Network will also help herders to voice themselves as well as improve NGOs’ and volunteers’ capacity.

In addition to a website, the Network will host a monthly forum and annul meeting for people to meet and talk face to face. Study trips to grassland areas will also be organised.

Another of the Network’s planned initiatives is a “nomadic library” enabling participants to share materials with others in the Network. Rather than creating a library of its own, the Network will provide details of written resources held by members, and which they are willing to lend to others.

Beijing Brooks Education Centre is a non-profit education organization established in June 2003. It aims to increase the awareness of sustainable development and social responsibility among citizens through academic study, training and projects.

Report by Chang Tianle, September 6, 2006