Luo Rigai (second from left) inspects the growth of grass at the 10,000-acre grass seed base in Xiaqu Village, Tehetu Township, Dari County Photo by Xian Wenjing
At the foot of the majestic Bayankara Mountains, the vast grasslands fade the cyan of summer to take on the yellow-green colors characteristic of late autumn. Not far away, a tibetan man with a rough and dark face bent down to pull out a strand of grass, he looked at the length of the root system, and then took a limp step to carefully count the number of rat holes on the grassland, calculating the area of the grassland under his feet that needed to be replanted with grass seeds in the coming year. This 65-year-old Tibetan man is Luo Rigai, the former station chief of the grassland station in Dari County, Goluo Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province.
This "grassland expert" who has been dealing with the grassland for 40 years, who has been busy at the "source of the Yellow River" at an altitude of more than 4,000 meters all year round, said as he walked: "That land was once a black soil beach, and there was no grass. In the early years, walking on the grassland often saw a patch of black land with sparse pasture or even no grass, which was called 'black soil beach'. Once this phenomenon occurs, it indicates that grasslands are being severely degraded. If not repaired in time, the black mud beach will continue to spread like an infectious disease and endanger the surrounding grassland. ”
Grassland is the most widely distributed and largest terrestrial ecosystem in Qinghai, and has a pivotal and irreplaceable special position in the ecological protection construction of Qinghai and even the whole country, especially in the process of promoting the construction of national parks, the protection and construction of grassland ecological environment, its significance is self-evident.
Around the Yellow River, which passes through the border, Dari County has made great efforts to carry out great protection and governance, and has embarked on a path of ecological protection and high-quality development.
Dari County is an alpine, high-altitude area, the grassland ecosystem is extremely fragile, and restoration requires a long and long process. In the process of grassland protection and restoration, the project funds invested by Dari County can be said to be unprecedented, and a total of 640 million yuan has been invested so far, and the first and second phases of the ecological protection and construction of Sanjiangyuan have been successively implemented, such as the project of returning grazing land to grassland, the comprehensive treatment of black soil beaches, the prevention and control of forest harmful organisms, the prevention and control of grassland pests, the ecological restoration of artificial grass plants in degraded grasslands, and the protection of wetlands.
"The grassland ecological governance projects, investment quotas, and governance scales in Dari County are at the forefront of all counties in Tibet-related areas across the country, many seriously degraded grasslands have been re-cloaked in green, and the treatment of rat wastelands and black mud beaches that have no grass has become high-quality pastures." Cai Rang Nyima, member of the Standing Committee of the Dari County CPC Committee and secretary of the Party Committee of Jimai Town, said that after the governance effect gradually appeared, Dari County made every effort to promote the transformation and upgrading of the forage industry, actively built a new pattern of "ecology, industry and economy" development, and embarked on an industrial path that relies on green development and revitalizes the county economy.
Dari County is just a microcosm of the steadily increasing function of grassland ecosystems in Qinghai and the Sanjiangyuan region.
Li Xiaonan, director of the Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Qinghai Province, introduced that with the solid progress of major projects such as the second phase of the ecological protection and construction of Sanjiangyuan in Qinghai Province, the comprehensive treatment of ecological protection and construction in Qilian Mountains, the project of returning grazing land to grassland, and the ecological restoration of artificial grass planted in degraded grasslands, during the "Thirteenth Five-Year Plan" period, Qinghai has built a total of 32.933 million mu of grassland enclosures, 9.1817 million mu of replanting and improvement, 7.9781 million mu of degraded grassland of black soil beach type, 830,700 mu of desertified degraded grassland, 1.3532 million mu of artificial grassland, and the comprehensive vegetation coverage of grassland in the province has reached 57.4%, an increase of 3.2 percentage points over 2011, higher than the national average of 1.6 percentage points, and the grassland area of grassland vegetation that remains stable and tends to improve accounts for 86.85%. The trend of grassland degradation in Qinghai Province has been curbed, and the grassland ecological environment has continued to improve.
On the greenery of the Darri grassland, cattle and sheep are foraging. Photography by Li Ning
"To do grassland protection work, we are destined to run more, suffer more, and sweat more than others." The annual planting season is also the busiest time for Luo Rigai, and sometimes going to the countryside at the construction site is more than a month or even two months. In the summer, there is hardly a rest day, and in the winter, Luo Rigai still has to run through the ravines of Dari County, where there are black soil beaches, where there is a need to plant grass in the spring next year, all of which have an account in his heart.
Grassland "black soil beach" is a grassland disaster formed by the joint action of various factors. The formation of "black soil beaches" is the gradual disappearance of native vegetation and the replacement of poisonous weed communities. At the same time, the turf is thawed and peeled off, the coverage is reduced, the soil is exposed, the soil fertility is continuously reduced, the soil nutrients are lost until the breeding salinization, the soil layer is thinned, and it is degraded into a gravel beach.
Due to climate change, overgrazing, soil erosion, rat infestation and other reasons, there are more and more black soil beaches and black soil slopes. Grassland degradation seriously restricts the development of grassland ecological animal husbandry, directly affecting the economic income of local herders.
"More than 10 years ago, there were more than 200 cattle and sheep in the family, and the family's life depended on grazing. However, due to the serious degradation of the grassland in previous years, his family's grassland decreased year by year, and finally had to move to the Aba area of Sichuan to rent local pastures for grazing. The grassland steward of Shazhina Village in Dari County introduced the talent.
Regarding the impression of grassland degradation, Caihua said: "The grassland is like a disease, a year is not as good as a year, and the black mud beach is like psoriasis on the grassland, spreading too quickly." "To make matters worse, rat holes are densely packed on the degraded black mud beaches, and rat activity is rampant." Rat infestations, in turn, cause deadly damage to grasslands, creating a vicious circle.
"Grassland degradation, especially for black soil beaches, is not treated in a timely manner, and the consequences are unimaginable." Only then did Nyima say.
In recent years, Qinghai Province has increased the management of black soil beaches, and in order to solve the specific difficulties in the production and life of herders due to ecological deterioration, it has opened a contest with black soil beaches.
In 2019, the first pilot project of comprehensive treatment of degraded grassland in Qinghai Province was launched in Dari County. Cai Rang, deputy director of the Natural Resources Bureau of Dari County, said that since the implementation of the first and second phases of the sanjiangyuan ecological protection and construction, as well as the implementation of ecological governance projects such as returning grazing land to grassland and ecological restoration of black soil slopes, Dari County has completed an investment of about 640 million yuan, treating 1.2246 million mu of black soil beaches and 75,000 mu of black soil slopes. Through the comprehensive management of grassland ecological protection and restoration, the vegetation coverage of grassland in Dari County has increased from 46.7% to 58%, the average yield of fresh grass in natural grassland has increased from the original 115 kg to 150 kg now, and the average yield of fresh grass in artificial grassland has been greatly increased to 790 kg now.
Manzhao Township is the most degraded township in the county of Dari County, 70% of the grassland has become a black soil beach, and 70,000 mu of grass have been planted here this year.
On a hillside in Manzhang Township, the lush meadows spread out like brocade, and some golden rape flowers in the grass stubbornly opened, making this meadow look very special.
"It was planted in June this year, it's been more than two months, and it's growing very well. This grass has good palatability, strong reproductive ability and strong adaptability, growing to a height of nearly one meter, and is specially used for the restoration and treatment of degraded grasslands on black soil beaches. Rorigai said that this grass is called Tongde short mangphi alkali grass.
"In the past, we have also introduced grass seeds from other places, and after planting them on the black soil beach, the first year or two is OK, but after that, the degradation rate is very fast, and the success rate is very low." Later, we studied and cultivated early maturing grass and Tongde short mango phi alkali grass suitable for plateau planting, and at present, nearly 30,000 mu have been planted in Guoluo Prefecture, and it is in the stage of a large number of expansion and grass seeds. Zhang Hongming, director of the Grassland Division of the Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Qinghai Province, said.
As the first pilot county in Qinghai to promote the black soil slope treatment project, Through two years of unremitting efforts, Dari County has explored a set of Dari experience and Dari practices for the treatment of black soil beaches, providing a model for the restoration and treatment of alpine meadows across the country.
In the distance, several eagles hovering in mid-air are patrolling their territory... In the eyes of Laoang, secretary of the Mentang Village Branch of Mentang Township, Jiuzhi County, Guoluo Prefecture, such a grassland is what it looks like in memory.
Laon is deeply touched by the changes in the grasslands, saying that in the past, the quality of grasslands was reduced by livestock overloading, and everyone used to increase the number of farms to ensure income. Later, the grass became thinner and thinner, and the black mud beach and prairie rats came to the door.
"You see the grass is so tall, but you can't see a cow or sheep on the prairie." Laon said that it is now a period of no grazing, and during the period of grassland governance, grasslands will be closed for 3-5 years. In the past, pastoralists, while aware that grassland degradation was caused by overgrazing, had no experience in how to manage it. After the prohibition of grazing was introduced, the herders in Kuji Prefecture were very supportive.
In the process of controlling the degradation of the grassland, what moved Laon the most was that when he first notified the ploughing of grass seeds, more than 70 laborers were originally required, but more than 400 people came to the scene, and basically all of them were village laborers. Laon said that he rushed to this momentum, believing that in a few years, the grassland would become better.
To control the black soil beach, the government has issued policies and ideas, and the herders have contributed their strength and responded together, forming a model of the participation of the whole people in governance. As the leader of the grassland town, Nyima witnessed the change in the attitude of herders towards the grassland, "In the past, herders did not have moderation in grazing, and excessive grazing exceeded the carrying capacity of the grassland, and now the degradation of the grassland makes the herders taste hardships." At the same time, after the government found this situation, publicity and education made herders realize the importance of protecting grasslands, and issued policies to provide funds to deal with degraded grasslands, buy grass seeds, organic fertilizers, etc., to improve their enthusiasm, and many herders have participated in governance actions in various ways. ”
Ma Yushou, a professor at the Academy of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences of Qinghai University, said that before that, there was no mature experience in the treatment of black soil beaches and black soil slopes. After 25 years of research, a series of technologies such as vegetation classification restoration, secondary degradation of artificial vegetation, and a juvenile fallow pattern have been successfully developed.
Li Xiaonan gave this evaluation to the governance of the black soil beach in Dari County: "Dari County has overcome the difficulties of the harsh natural environment, tight funds, lack of talents, weak technology, etc., and has made every effort to promote the comprehensive protection, comprehensive treatment and systematic restoration of the grassland ecology, and the treatment of 1.225 million mu of black soil beach and 75,000 mu of black soil slope, the function of the grassland ecosystem has been continuously enhanced, and the grassland ecological environment has improved significantly, becoming a model for the ecological protection and construction of grassland ecology in the province and even the whole country." ”
Luo Rigai inspects the growth of pasture in the pasture Photo by Li Ning
The late autumn grasslands are vast. Walking in Dari County, on the endless alpine meadows, the pastures dried up and showed a ripe golden yellow; the Yellow River flowed silently, and the shadows of falcons, Tibetan hartebeests, steppe wolves, and wild ducks flashed from time to time, bringing the breath of life to the grassland.
The results of grassland degradation control have initially emerged, but Qinghai is still exploring for the "healing" of grassland.
"New grasses must pay attention to the extermination of rats. The plateau pika on the grassland loves to dig holes and eat grass roots, and if the roots are eaten, the grass that is difficult to survive is also dangerous. Rozhgue stood on the pasture planning the rat extermination and grass planting arrangements for the new year.
Luo Rigai looked at the grass in his hand as if he were looking at the "child" who had grown up with one hand, and his eyes flashed with light: "Don't look at the grass now, the grassland is yellow now, the spring breeze will be full of green in the coming year." ”
In the past, grass was planted without fertilization, but now it is fertilized; in the past, seeds were not screened, but now they are strictly screened, and non-woven fabrics are also laid during construction. In this way, the survival rate of grass planting has been greatly improved, and the survival rate was only about 30% before, and now it has increased to more than 80%. Rozhgai said that with the protection of non-woven fabrics, grass will grow better. Under the impact of the fierce wind, although the non-woven fabric laid last year has been somewhat damaged, the grass teeth under the non-woven fabric have revealed a little greenery. Luo Zhige knelt on the ground on both knees and gently pulled up a grass to observe it carefully, and he said happily: "You see, this grass grows so well, the roots are deep, and the grip is also very strong, and this is the credit of non-woven fabrics." "Non-woven fabric construction operations are a new pilot project in Dari County, which is suitable for use in places with steep slopes and can be degraded, which not only has no impact on the ecology of the grassland, but also plays a role in heat preservation and humidity, prevention and control of soil erosion."
It is reported that in the restoration of artificial grass planting in degraded grassland, Dari County preferentially selects local grass species for multi-variety combination and collocation, and adopts comprehensive technical measures for mixed sowing grass re-greening to improve the stability of planted vegetation; in the treatment of black soil slopes, comprehensive application of mixed sown grass, formula fertilization, a variety of agronomic measures combination and other technologies; in the treatment of degraded grassland, carry out new technologies for flying sowing grass treatment to reduce human disturbance to the original ecosystem. In addition, Dari County has also actively explored and popularized technologies such as grass seed combination, formula fertilization, pest prevention and control, etc., providing strong scientific and technological support for grassland ecological protection and restoration.
At the same time, Guoluo Prefecture took the lead in implementing the "grass chief system" in Qinghai, forming a set of effective grassland resources protection management and development model and the most stringent grassland ecological environmental protection system. Guoluo Prefecture has established a grassland management and protection grid system and an organizational system for management and protection teams, and incorporated grassland contracting, grassland ecological protection, restoration, utilization and other activities into the management and protection system to form a whole region coverage. Through the strict implementation of the system of banning grazing and balancing grass and livestock, Goluo Prefecture has effectively curbed illegal acts that damage the grassland ecology and maintained and promoted the integrity and function of the grassland ecosystem.
The person in charge of the Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Guoluo Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture said that the whole prefecture will also establish and improve the grass length system, the grass and livestock balance system, and the management and protection system within 3 years to improve the overall level of grassland protection and construction.
According to the requirements of the grass chief system, Guoluo will comprehensively establish a five-level grass chief management system and departmental coordination mechanism at the state, county, township, village and community levels, and all grassland contracted plots will be included in the management and protection system to form a whole region coverage. 585 pastoral cooperatives in 185 villages, 44 townships (towns) in 6 counties of the whole prefecture have fully implemented the grass length system, and the grasslands managed by the grass length system include natural grasslands and artificial grasslands.
At present, it is the busiest moment for Dai Yong, deputy governor of Jiuzhi County. Next year, the focus of grassland protection and restoration in Qinghai Province will be transferred to Jiuzhi County, 50 million yuan of funds have been in place, he and his colleagues should seize the time to implement the restoration of plots, areas, construction procedures and so on. "Grassland is a precious asset for herders, and no matter what the price is, the barren grasslands of Jiuzhi County must be turned back into grasslands." Although the pressure is very great, we must lead the masses to take the ecological governance road of planting grass and re-greening in the desert beach, and find the rich water and grass of the past. Dai Yong said.
Ban Sang, 53, is a grassland steward and herdsman in Chagan Village, Manzhao Township, Dari County. His family has more than 3,000 acres of grassland and raises fifty or sixty yaks. The position of grassland steward can allow him to have an income of more than 18,000 yuan a year, plus more than 20,000 yuan of grassland award supplementary funds and animal husbandry income, and the whole family has an income of 50,000 or 60,000 yuan a year.
"Our pasture is repaired and planted, the government did not let us pay a penny, but also organized manpower to fertilize and sow seeds, I must take good care of this pasture, this is the future happy life of our herders." Ban Sang said emotionally.
"While Vigorously promoting the development of the grass industry, Qinghai has also effectively played the role of enriching the people and increasing income." Li Xiaonan said: By supporting the development of the whole industrial chain of forage production, processing, and reserve, the Qinghai Provincial CPC Committee and the Qinghai Provincial Government have explored various production and operation modes in the Sanjiangyuan Nature Reserve, such as "park + enterprise + cooperative + farmer," "company + cooperative + base + peasant household," and "cooperative + base + herdsmen," thus forming a grass industry pattern in which large-scale planting and processing of enterprises and cooperatives are the mainstay, herdsmen's planting is supplemented, east-west linkage, and agriculture and animal husbandry are combined. At the same time, by increasing the intensity of grassland ecological compensation, setting up 40,000 grassland ecological stewards, actively absorbing farmers and herdsmen to participate in grassland ecological protection construction projects, and continuously increasing the income of the masses, the annual income of ecological stewards in the Sanjiangyuan area reached 21,600 yuan, achieving a win-win situation of ecological protection, economic development and improvement of people's livelihood. (Author Geng Guobiao Editor Wang Qiang)