Changes in grassland yield and grazing pressure in the Three Rivers headwater region before and after the implementation of the eco-restoration project
This paper reports on the impact of the Ecological Protection and Construction project in the Three Rivers headwater region. Grassland yield and grazing pressure have been calculated using the Global Production Efficiency Model (GLO-PEM) model and the Grazing Pressure Index. Data have been analysed and compared for the years before and after the project was initiated. Results indicate that the region's mean grassland yield from 2005 to 2012, after project implementation, was 30.31% higher (694 kg/ha) than from 1988 to 2004, before the project began (533 kg/ha). Following the introduction of the livestock reduction program, the mean index of grazing pressure from 2003 to 2012 was 36.1% lower (1.46) than for the years 1988 to 2002 (2.49). The reasons for grassland recovery and grazing pressure reduction may be due to a combination of the Ecological Protection and Construction project and climate change. However, the ecological effectiveness of the project has clearly emerged.