Zhangye Improved Grassland Management Project, China
Location
China
SDGs Contribution
6
Solution Type
Afforestation (ARR)
Project Type
Carbon Removal
Fact File
👩🌾 952 'grassland protector' jobs created and 8 668 farmers receiving grassland ban subsidies.
♀️ 51 % of all project trainees are women.
💰 Livestock displacement is modelled in, alongside generous subsidies to ensure that local farmers do not move herding activities somewhere else.
Partnership &
Certification
About this Project
The Problem
In the northwest Gansu Province, the grasslands have suffered severe degradation and desertification due to the combined effects of climate change and human activity. The baseline survey revealed that vast areas had significantly reduced grass yields (dropping by 30%–50%) in slightly degraded zones, and widespread ecological decline in severely degraded zones. This deterioration not only reduced the land’s capacity to store carbon but also threatened local biodiversity, soil stability, and the livelihoods of local communities dependent on healthy grasslands for their herds.
The Solution
Led by the Zhangye Academy of Forestry Sciences, the project addresses these challenges through targeted restoration and sustainable management. Over 261,059 hectares of degraded grassland are being rehabilitated over 6 counties via reseeding with high-quality local forage, strategic fencing, and rotational or rest grazing in less degraded areas.
Severely degraded zones undergo intensive reseeding, while daily management measures - such as rodent and pest control, fire prevention, and soil desertification mitigation - ensure the ecosystem’s long-term resilience. By restoring vegetation, improving soil carbon storage, and fostering sustainable grazing practices, the project is expected to remove 29,440,243 tCO2e over 40 years (averaging 736,006 tCO2e annually) while supporting both environmental recovery and local socio-economic development.
Project Location
SDG Contributions
