493-495 Baiping.P65

Synopsis Sustainably Managing Montane Forests in Arid Mountain Regions: The Oytag Valley of West Kunlun The Oytag valley, about 100 km west of Kashi (Kashgar), is one of the few valleys with forests in the Kunlun Mountains. It underwent severe forest destruction in the late 1950s, and about only one fourth of the natural forest remains. Since the early 1980s, forest conservation and artificial regeneration have been carried out in the valley. In arid mountain regions, forests only de- such as stabilizing highland/lowland hy- velop on slopes with a relatively humid drological system, reducing natural disas- climate, and usually a limited area. To the ters, ensuring oases development down- local people, these forests are rare re- stream, etc. Consequently, sustainably sources and of special value. The ecology managing these mountain forests looms of these forests is often very fragile. It is especially large in northwestern arid very difficult or even impossible for these China. forests to recover if they are seriously de- The Kunlun Mountain range, lies be- stroyed. As a result, sustainably manag- tween the world famous Tibetan Plateau ing these forests is important for the lo- and the low-lying Tarim Basin, and is one cal and downstream people and environ- of the most extensive extremely high and ment. In the vast northwestern arid China, arid mountain ranges in the world. It is desert landscape dominates, and extensive characterized by an arid climate and desert arid mountain areas (e.g. the Kunlun, landscape (1). The annual rainfall is 61.3 Tianshan, Qilian, etc.) and deserts (e.g. the mm for Kashi (1289 m a.s.l.), 35.0 mm for Taklimakan Desert, the Gurbantung- Hotan (1375 m a.s.l.), 36.6 mm for gut Desert, etc.) alternate, with the very Kangxiwar (3986 m a.s.l.), 23.8 mm for sparsely scattered oases on the lower pied- Tianshuihai (4860 m a.s.l.). But the mid- mont plains of the mountains. Mountain dle mountains (2700–3600 m a.s.l.) of the forests only occur in the middle parts of northern flank are relatively humid, e.g. these mountain ranges, e.g. 2700–3600 m the annual rainfall amounts to 195 mm for a.s.l. in West Kunlun, 1600–2700 m in the Oytag (2030 m a.s.l.) and 210.9 mm for Tianshan, 2600–3300 m in the Qilian, and Heishan (2540 a.s.l.). Conversion between 1500–2500 in the Altai. In these regions, annual runoff depth and rainfall shows mountain forests have many functions that the rainfall can be expected to reach Figure 1. Distribution of montane forest in the Oytag valley of West Kunlun. Montane forest Sparse woodlands/shrub Alpine meadow Artifical/dense grassland Ambio Vol. 31 No. 6, Sept. 2002 © Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences 2002 491 http://www.ambio.kva.se about 300–400 mm at elevations of about ley. The lower parts of the valleys are downstream people and ecology. 3000 m in some valleys of West Kunlun mainly loose materials weathered from (2). As a result, in some areas of the mid- Quaternary basaltic moraines. Landslides dle mountain belt there are some patches easily occur on the steep slopes, and the THE OYTAG MODEL FOR of montane forest, and these only appear forest developing on these slopes is MANAGING MONTANE FORESTS intermittently to the west of the Shangzu pushed to the middle slopes or to the bot- AS RARE RESOURCES IN ARID River (East longitude 78°20') in the tom of the valley. MOUNTAIN REGIONS Kunlun Mountains. Their total area is Since 1986, animal husbandry has been The formation of the Oytag Model for about 20 000 ha (3). They do not consti- the main production source in the Oytag managing montane forests was closely re- tute an altitudinal belt; instead, they are valley. Income from animal husbandry lated to the development of tourism in the usually scattered in the upper part (2700– amounted to about 70% in 1995 of the to- Oytag valley. This valley is cool and com- 3600 m a.s.l.) of the montane steppe belt, tal income of farming, forestry and animal fortable in summer. The upper Oytag val- and only in some relatively humid valleys. husbandry. Development of animal hus- ley is covered with montane forests, al- These montane forest has only 2 species bandry in the valley is important for pro- pine meadow, snow-capped mountains, of needle-leaved trees, spruce (Picea duction and daily lives in the Oytag val- and large glaciers. This valley is relatively schrenkiana) mainly on shady slopes and ley. The forest and meadow areas are the close (about 100 km) to the city of juniper (Sabina centrasiatic) mostly on most important summer pasturelands; in Kashgar, an international tourist city fa- sunny slopes (4). Considering the ex- late spring, the local Kirgiz people drive mous for its Islamic culture and customs. tent of the Kunlun Range and the Tarim their livestock up to the pastureland, and The Oytag valley is the only potential Basin, montane forests are both rare and in late August return. In the early 1990s, mountain tourist site close to population precious in southern Xinjiang. Most of the when the shady and gentle slopes were centers (oases) in the extensive southern forests are situated far from population considered to close for forest regeneration, Xinjiang. In the early 1990s, the people centers and are difficult to reach. The only 20 ha were fenced in the south val- in the oases began to come to this valley Oytag valley is somewhat different. It is ley, and about 14 ha in the north valley for recreation and sightseeing. To coordi- only about 100 km west of Kashi (Atoynak valley). The reason for this is nate overall development of forestry, ani- (Kashgar) (Fig. 1) close to the Sino-Paki- simple; the development of local animal mal husbandry, and tourism, the Tourist stan International Highway; the central husbandry needs a considerable amount of and Forestry bureaus and Forest Police of forest area of the valley is only 37 km pastureland. It has been planned to extend the Kizilsu Prefecture, and the local gov- away from the highway, and can be eas- the fenced slopes for forest regeneration ernment of Oytag Town jointly organized ily reached by car. It is in this valley that to about 800 ha before 2010. There is a a management group; the members of the a mechanism for managing montane for- long way to go, as the dispute over land group work together in the valley. To ef- ests was formed; the “Oytag Model.” use constitutes a problem for both forestry fectively protect mountain ecosystems, and animal husbandry. Coordination of especially the rare montane forests, a toll- the relationship between animal hus- gate was installed near the old forest farm DYNAMICS OF MONTANE bandry and forestry development is a chal- office in 1992 (the Farm Office was later FORESTS lenge for the local government. moved to the side of the Sino-Pakistan In- The dynamics of montane forests are sub- The local people collect dry or semidry ternational Highway at the outlet of the ject to many factors. The first being hu- tree trunks and branches for firewood and Oytag valley). All visitors and cars are man activities. Our on-site investigation sell them to merchants who transport them charged for entering Oytag tourist areas, revealed that in the early 1950s, the area by car to the lowland market. This con- and the Oytag valley is now under rela- of montane forests in the Oytag valley stitutes part of the local income. To pre- tively strict management. was more than 3 times as large as it is at vent outright logging, the Forest Bureau The members of the group of the For- present; in 1954, the Oytag Forest Farm, of the Kizilsu Prefecture formulated a estry Bureau are workers of the Oytag of the Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefec- penalty system and conducts strict inspec- Forest Farm, mainly Uygurs from the ture of Xinjiang, was organized to cut tions of the collected wood. downstream oases. They peform the main trees; in 1958–1959, almost all of the trees The Oytag valley is characterized by task of forest regeneration and conserva- that could be used as timber in this val- relatively rich natural resources, such as tion, including protection of the forest re- ley were logged by more than 2000 sol- alpine meadow, montane steppe and for- generation base and fostering the planted diers with tractors. In 1979, logging was ests, snow-capped mountains, 4 large gla- seedlings. They usually buy juniper seed- banned. From 1984–1985 on, measures ciers extending into the forest areas, and lings from the Tianshan Forest Farm and were taken to conserve forests. In 1990, a cool and comfortable summer climate. the Kunlun Forest Farm, and then plant a seedling nursery was established. Since All of this contrasts sharply with the ex- them in the forest nursery; after 2–3 years, 1992, with some mountain shady slopes tremely arid Tarim Basin, and can thus they transfer the seedlings to the fenced fenced, natural and artificial forest regen- serve as a valuable tourist attraction. Since forest base. One of their daily tasks is to eration and restoration have been greatly 1992, tourism has developed quickly in keep a close eye on the fenced reserves promoted. On the relatively gentle, shady the Oytag valley. In recent years, more and drive out livestock entering the base, slopes, more than 85% of the seedlings and more people in the oases of the west- (cows and sheep can destroy seedlings if planted in the early 1990s have survived.

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