In China,the distribution of water resources is incompatible with the development of productivity.The construction of South-to-North Water Diversion Project has achieved inter-basin water diversion,and the project can alleviate the uneven distribution of water resources phenomenon effectively.However,in recent years,the aggregate effects of water pollution and water resource shortages have been serious.Establishing transverse eco-compensation mechanisms becomes the key method to achieve sustainable use of water resources.Based on statistical and questionnaire data,this paper uses the Opportunity Costs Method and Willingness to Pay approach to establish a transverse eco-compensation standard calculation model for the Middle Route Project of the Southto-North Water Diversion.The results show that the upper and lower limits of the transverse eco-compensation standard for the Middle Route Project is $2.52 billion and $2.20 billion every year,respectively.However,the paying and receiving standards varied widely among different compensation payers and compensation receivers.Meanwhile,the significant factors influencing the paying willingness of the receiver area citizens were age,education level,average revenue per month,knowledge about the South-to-North Water Diversion Project and recognition of the importance of eco-environmental integrity.This study began with a theoretical analysis,then analysed related problems related to calculating transverse eco-compensation standards for the Middle Route Project of the South-to-North Water Diversion by an empirical study.This empirical study helps to establish effective transverse eco-compensation mechanisma and promotea the development of effective policies and legislation.
Ecological compensation plays an important role in promoting ecological protection.Identifying factors affecting the willingness of farmers to accept eco-compensation has become a focus of ecological economics.The Qianxi traditional chestnut agricultural heritage system is a typical agroforestry system in China and adapts the local environment well.However,local farmers concentrate on chestnut monocultures,driven by short-term profits.The local ecological environment is very fragile.We surveyed 100 local rural households.Based on face-to-face interviews and questionnaires and model assessment,we analyzed factors affecting the willingness of farmers to accept eco-compensation in the Qianxi chestnut agroforestry system of Hebei.We found that many factors influence farmer willingness to accept,including education level,household income,environmental awareness,environmental protection practices and knowledge of ecological compensation.This research provides helps clarify the mechanism of farmer participation in eco-compensation and provides a basis for further development of compensation standards that benefit the local environment.
The Hani Rice Terraces System, based on gravity-flow irrigation, is one of the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems(GIAHS) pilot sites selected by FAO in 2010. The water resource plays an important role in the sustainable development of this system. The value of water conserved by the forest is influenced by natural, economic and social factors. In this paper, the water quality, per capita water resources, per capita GDP and population density are chosen as indices to construct an index system for a comprehensive evaluation of water resources value. The weights of these indices are 0.443, 0.31, 0.141 and 0.106 respectively, which are determined by the analytic hierarchy process(AHP) method. The water resources value has been assessed by the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model. The results show that the water resources value in the Hani Rice Terraces System is 4.25 RMB/m^3. Evaluating the value of water resources in the Hani Rice Terraces System can provide a reference for ecological compensation, for raising public awareness of the importance of protecting the system, and ultimately achieving its sustainable development.
LI JingMIN QingwenLI WenhuaBAI YanyingYANG LunDhruba Bijaya G C
Agricultural land provides not only food and fiber（an important element of food security）, but also serves as a non-market commodity with characteristic externalities and public services. However, there are also many negative impacts on environment of the paddy production. Thus, Payments for paddy ecosystem services encourage farmers to engage in ecological or organic agricultural practices and agro-ecological/environmental supply. However, compared with forest, wetland, and pasture, the eco-function and ecosystem services of paddy fields have gotten insufficient attention. It is necessary to establish an eco-compensation mechanism for paddy fields that boosts behavior that protects farms to benefit the ecosystem. Based on a review of eco-compensation for paddy fields, this paper proposes the policy game framework of eco-compensation for paddy fields, which is oriented to ecological restoration. Secondly, this paper introduces methods for determination of compensation standards, including the cost the farmers＇ willingness to accept, and the ecological benefits of adopting environmental friendly farming practices. And finally, this paper puts forward policy recommendations for eco-compensation for paddy ecosystems.
Community plays an important role in the preservation of agricultural heritage system （AHS）. Recently, many AHS have been valorized as interesting resources for rural tourism. The expectations are that tourism development （TD） can be supportive for the conservation of AHS while creating benefits for local communities. In this study, two mountainous pilot villages （Longxian and Xiaohuang） in a global conservation project for traditional agricutural systems - Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems （GIAHS） were selected to identify the relationship between AHS conservation and TD. The study undertook in-depth interviews, and questionnaires of village residents and informal discussions with local villagers. A t-test and a linear regression model were implemented to explore the comparative dimensions of the two communities with different geographical location, economic situation, and stage of TD. The research found some similarities and differences in the two mountainous communities during AHS conservation and TD. Firstly, AHS are preservaed well in both villages unconsiously, while the residents in Xiaohuang value more highly the heritage elements than the respondents in Longxian, and the villagers in Xiaohuang are more worried about their heritage system; Secondly, both villages expect lots of benefits from TD and they clearly perceive more positive than negative impact from tourism and thus approve TD, while the hugedifferent perception on transportation and accessibility in the two villages reflects the bottleneck of TD in Xiaohuang village. At the same time, the respondents from Xiaohuang perceive more positive and fewer negative impact from tourism than the respondents from Longxian. Thirdly, the respondents in the two villages all show positive attitudes towards participation in tourism mostly motivated by the high income expectation. The main factors to determine the community perception in two villages were also analyzed based on the data process. A location-based coneeputal framewor
SUN Ye-hongMary Jane DELA CRUZMIN Qing-wenLIU Mou-chengZHANG Ling-yun
