Assessment of ecological protection importance for ecological conservation in Wenchuan Earthquake hard-hit disaster areas
汶川地震重灾区生态保护重要性评价与对策

Assessment of ecological protection importance and identification of important area for ecological protection is the basis for restoration and construction in earthquake hard-hit area. In this study, ecological protection importance in 51 counties of hard-bit disaster area was assessed based on previous research and three indicators including soil erosion sensitivity, biodiversity conservation importance, and water conservation importance. Results showed that highly important areas for ecological protection made up 26.7% of the total area of this region, with the total area of 35 thousands of km2. They were mainly distributed in Wenchuan and Siguanniang mountain in north Qionglai Mountains, and large area of Minshan Mountains. Important areas were mainly distributed in west and northeast of this region with the total area of 46 thousands of km2, accounting for 34.5% of the total area of the entire region. Measures including strict protection, ban of large scale of development and construction activities, and population control, should be taken in highly important areas. In important areas, development activities should be also restricted. These measures, together with ecological compensation and ongoing ecological engineering including Natural Forestry Conservation, Grain to Green, and Comprehensive Watershed Management, will facilitate the restoration of ecological services in this region.