Institutional innovation and forest landscape restoration in China: Multi-scale cross-sector networking, household fiscal modernization and tenure reform. (September 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhang, Kun; Putzel, Louis
• Is Part Of: World development perspectives. Number 3(2016)
• Page Start: 18
• Page End: 21
• Publication Date: 2016-09
• Subjects: Forest landscape restoration -- Agricultural subsidies -- Payments for ecosystem services (PES) -- Financial inclusion -- Land tenure reform -- Conversion of Cropland to Forest Program -- Grain for green -- Sloping Land Conversion Program -- China; Economic development -- Evaluation -- Periodicals; Economic assistance -- Evaluation -- Developing countries -- Periodicals; Developing countries -- Economic conditions -- Periodicals; 338.9105
• DOI: 10.1016/j.wdp.2016.11.002
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2452-2929

Abstract

Highlights: Forest restoration in China stimulated networking across sectors and scales. Links across sectors supported land tenure reform and financial inclusion. With 32 million rural families enrolled, restoration drives equitable development. Abstract: From 1999, China launched the Conversion of Cropland to Forest Program, an expansive forest landscape restoration project engaging 17% of the rural population in tree planting and management on ca. 30 million ha of degraded land and farmland in vulnerable watersheds. We describe the emergence of innovative institutions, horizontally and vertically networked from central to village government scales, articulating forestry with planning, finance, land, agriculture and water sectors. Compensation to participating households in grain was replaced by direct electronic cash transfers, promoting household fiscal modernization and inclusive finance. Compensation based on the area of household forest plots has reinforced tenure reforms and associated certifications.