Oct 2016, Volume 18 Issue 5
    

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  • Article
    Xu Delong, Pan Yunhe, Li Wei, Liu Xu, Xu Nanping, Zhong Zhihua, Hou Li'an
    To promote the green and circular development of the Qinba Mountains, the Chinese Academy of Engineering launched a major advisory project in 2015 called the Study on the Green & Circular Development Strategy of the Qinba Mountains. Based on an analysis of the scope and value cognition of the Qinba Mountains, this study investigates innovative development associated with the mountains, with particular focus on the contradiction between protection and development. This study then proposes three development strategies—ecological civilization, regional coordination, and antipoverty—and offers suggestions, such as formulating special planning, setting up coordination mechanisms, and strengthening government support.
  • Article
    Zhou Qinghua, Niu Junqing
    Urban areas around the Qinba Mountains in China’s geographical center include the Chengdu–Chongqing, Guanzhong, Wuhan, and Zhongyuan urban agglomerations. Under China’s new Belt and Road Initiative and multilateral opening-up strategy, the coordinated development of urban areas around the Qinba Mountains is crucial to Midwest China’s economic growth, protection of the ecological environment, and the alleviation of poverty in these mountainous areas. However, due to the large geographical distances involved, linkages between these urban agglomerations are poor. Based on the experiences of foreign megalopolises, the author suggests that priorities for the coordinated development of the urban areas around the Qinba Mountains include their spatial organization, rapid transit, and the cooperative division of industrial labor.
  • Article
    Fu Zhihuan, Xu Li, Jiang Bin, Wang Jing, Zhao Yu
    The change of regional positioning will affect the development pattern of transport. From the perspective of the new regional positioning of the Qinba Mountains, many problems exist in the development process of transport. This study analyses main challenges in developing transport in the process of establishing national key ecological functional demonstration zones and national parks. Subsequently, based on the double requirements of economic and social development and ecological environment protection of this region in the future, the authors propose a general strategy, developing focus, and policy recommendations for the construction of the green transport system in the Qinba Mountains.
  • Article
    Liu Xu, Mei Xurong, Yang Zhengli, Yang Shiqi
    There exist severe contradictions between agricultural development and ecology environment. Traditional agricultural production modes are difficult to be changed; in addition, the differentiation and fragmentation of agricultural resources hinder largescale agricultural management and distribution. Agricultural products are numerous; however, they lack well-known brands and deep processing, diverse marketing channels, and sales platforms. For building a green and circular development system for crop farming, forestry, stock farming, and medicinal materials (CFSM) in the Qinba Mountains, we propose six development strategies. These strategies include improving mountains’ ecological red line management and environmental quality; leading in science and education; developing ecological agriculture which depends on the harmonious cycle between crop and stock farming; creating famous brands for agricultural products with local characteristics; developing under-forest economy with local characteristics; and formulating processing and marketing strategies for agricultural products.
  • Article
    Hou Li’an , Yang Zhifeng, He Qiang, Xu Linyu, Zhai Jun, Li Angui, Li Ge, Zhang Lin
    This paper analyzes current situation and existing problems in the protection and utilization of water resources in Qinba Mountains, proposing overall development ideas, objectives, tasks, and corresponding measures with regard to the strategies that could be undertaken to better protect and utilize the water resources. These strategies include ① hastening the development of laws and regulations and finalizing supporting policies; ② strengthening water conservancy based on laws and the strict implementation of restrictive regions; ③ reforming the present watershed management mechanisms; ④ refining the ecological compensation system; ⑤ enhancing the development of water-quality monitoring and warning systems; ⑥ establishing an emergency response system for large water pollution events; and ⑦ developing an innovative economic development model for water based on resource advantages.
  • Article
    Lei Huixia, Jing Bo
    Rich in natural ecology and historical and cultural resources, the Qinba Mountains region is one of the China's most concentrated areas of national preserves, forest parks, and geological parks. This paper focuses its discussion on the necessity and feasibility of establishing a national central park in the Qinba Mountains, and it proposes ideas and suggestions for establishing such a park in the region. The study is based on an analysis of issues and challenges associated with the value of Qinba Mountains’ resources, their protection and utilization, and lessons learned from other countries’ experiences with national parks. The study’s objectives are to enhance the international influence of the Qinba Mountains region and mediate the conflict between resource protection and the alleviation of poverty.
  • Zhang Fan, Hu Yonghong, Duan Degang
    The Qinba Mountains region—not only the origin of a world-class mountain and Chinese civilization, but also one of the important ecological-environmental reserves and poverty stricken areas—faces a conflict between economic development and ecological protection. This paper combines the cultural tourism features of this district with the tendency towards developmental tourism as a means of facilitating development in the Qinba Mountains region. Based on an evaluation of tourism resources, this article formulates strategic thoughts, goals, focus areas, and spatial distribution, and proposes corresponding countermeasures and suggestions for the cultural tourism industry in the Qinba Mountains region.
  • Article
    Wu Tinghai, Zhang Neng
    Improving regional accessibility is an important means of carrying out poverty alleviation and realizing sustainable development in the Qinba Mountains region of China. This study focuses on the accessibility of central cities in the Qinba Mountains region to surrounding urban agglomerations, and determines the spatial patterns of the region using the high-speed transportation network identified in National Road Network Planning (2013–2030) and China’s Medium-Term and Long-Term Railway Network Plan. The study finds that with the development and construction of China’s high-speed traffic network, there are three main radial urban corridors in the Qinba Mountains region, which involve Xi’an–Wanzhou, Xi’an–Xiangyang, and Xi’an–Luoyang, separately, and three secondary urban corridors, namely, Xi’an–Tianshui, Xi’an–Guangyuan, and Dazhou–Xiangyang–Nanyang–Luoyang corridors. These urban corridors will lead to the emergence of four vast green zones centered on Longnan, Bazhong, Shiyan, and Luanchuan. This study aims to suggest establishing the spatial order in the Qinba Mountains region, keeping in mind the arrangements being made for the urban corridors and the green zones in order to achieve a balance between protection and development.
  • Article
    Wu Zuobin, Jing Bo, Guo Qian, Li Ju, Wei A'ni
    The Qinba Mountains, which occupy a geographic space on a north-south trajectory, are China’s central reservoirs and national green lung. Due to the topographical conditions, many conflicts occur around the issue of environmental protection and appeals for socioeconomic development. The Qinba Mountains region has gradually become a distressed area and a depressed economic zone, experiencing enormous conflict between the pressures of internal environmental protection and socioeconomic development. In this study, the authors first analyze the Qinba Mountains region’s planning-related conflict between ecological protection and urban-rural development, as well as the disconnection between green development and urban-rural construction. They then put forward an “ecology pilot, green-oriented” development strategy. Using an ecology pilot strategy, the authors delineate the ecological security pattern in the Qinba Mountains region to realize the integration of the living environment with the population, industry, and urban and rural space distribution. With a green-oriented strategy, the authors sum up the urban and rural planning mode, devise special systems to support transportation, and propose a “green-oriented” model for urban and rural living environments. The ultimate objective is the green development of urban and rural living environments in the Qinba Mountains, thus providing a reference point for the construction of urban and rural living environments throughout China.
  • Article
    Xu Delong, Li Hui, Zhou Yuan, Cao Yunlong, Miao Jinxiang, Sun Jingwei
    As the main national ecological function area and maximal poverty alleviation area, the Qinba Mountains region faces the arduous task of ecological protection along with an urgent need to improve the livelihood of residents. In this paper, we analyze the present situation and challenges of industrial development in the Qinba Mountains region. In addition to the advantages of local and environmental resources, we propose the overall thinking, specific strategies, and safeguards to realize green development, transformation, and upgrading of industries in the Qinba Mountains region, under both ecological and environmental limitations. The paper would serve as a key reference for studies on regional industrial development.
  • Article
    Xu Delong, Zhang Zhijun
    This study investigates the green & circular development policy system in the Qinba Mountains region. The study involves cthe five provinces along with one city of the Qinba Mountains: Shaanxi, Henan, Hubei, Sichuan, Gansu, and Chongqing, respectively. The study aims to build a policy system for a green & circular development to support the sustainable development of the region. Research methods used include discussions with the government departments of the five provinces and one city, field trips to the relevant counties (districts, cities) and countryside, a review of relevant documents from the central and provincial government, and an in-depth analysis of existing policies implementation. The study results propose a framework, basic ideas, and recommendations to build a green development policy system for the Qinba Mountains region.
  • Article
    Liu Jiongtian
    This study first expounds the significance of the green and circular development of the Qinba Mountains area in the Henan region (the Funiu Mountains). It then analyzes the basic characteristics of “strong ecological environment and weak economic foundation” of the Qinba Mountains area from the perspectives of the area’s geographic and geomorphic features; its population, society, and infrastructure; its economic and industrial development; and regional industrial development planning. Lastly, this study advocates a green and circular development strategy to establish an industrial development demonstration zone with a green and circular economy on the southern and northern slopes of the Funiu Mountains. This can be achieved by adopting a method of collaborative development for eco-industry with a two-way variation gradient. This study also proposes specific measures to accelerate the construction of an industrial demonstration zone with a green and circular economy on the southern and northern slopes of the Funiu Mountains.
  • Article
    Robert W. Marans, Xu Ying
    In recent years, a major migration program has been under way in the Qinba Mountains region of China’s Shaanxi Province. The initiative aims to alleviate poverty, prevent natural disasters, and improve quality of life for local residents. Policies to achieve these goals include restoring the natural environment, promoting new job opportunities, and building new urban developments. This paper suggests a longitudinal research scheme in the Qinba Mountains region that focuses on measuring progress in enhancing quality of life for the local population. The research aims to grasp the social implications of migration, and is based primarily on the population’s life perspectives. The program affects three groups: migrants who have moved to the new urban developments; the current rural population (some of whom may eventually become migrants); and the residents in existing cities and towns impacted by the new construction. Such research can be used to monitor the program’s progress, identify its influence on each group, and contribute to future planning and policymaking in Shaanxi and other Chinese provinces. This paper briefly reviews the theoretical and methodological aspects of quality of life research, and outlines an approach for conducting a study in the Qinba Mountains region.
  • Article
    Liu Huiliang
    This year is the one-hundredth anniversary of the United States National Park Service (US NPS). Over the last hundred years, the national park system of the United States has become an important national asset that has played a significant role in stimulating economic development and growth as well as enhancing quality of life, especially for the gateway communities. This paper provides a brief overview of the US NPS, including its history, mission, and key planning process and approaches. The author focuses its discussion on the interdependent relationship between the gateway communities and the national park system, as well as the issues and challenges, for both those communities and the parks, associated with the recent significant growth of tourists in the parks and of visitors and residents in the gateway communities. Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) and the town of Estes Park, RMNP’s main gateway community, are used as case studies to discuss specific issues and success stories. The paper also provides a list of lessons learned that might be considered by the research project “Study on the Green & Circular Development Strategy of the Qinba Mountains.”