Promoting Sustainable Development Through Ecological Poverty Reduction: Experience of Aohan Banner in Realizing Sustainable Development Goals Through Ecological Development

Implementing ecological development programs. In 2016, Aohan Banner formulated and implemented the “one cut, three increases and two ameliorations” green development strategy. To be specific, one cut refers to cutting the proportion of degraded forests; by 2020, the area of degraded forests will be cut by 1 million mu. Three increases refers to increasing the area of fruit forests by 80000 mu, increasing the area of brook feather forests by 0.3 million mu, and increasing the area of Mongolian scotch pine forests by 0.42 million mu. Two ameliorations refer to to ameliorating 0.1 million mu of sea buckthorn forests and ameliorating 0.1 million mu of wild apricot forests. By implementing key ecological programs, enhancing ecological compensation, vigorously developing ecological industries and strengthening ecological conservation, we create more jobs, encourage impoverished people to get employed and broaden the channels to create wealth. In recent years, we vigorously developed the understory economy based on the core tasks of Aohan banner to fully leverage the forestry industrial value of the banner. On one hand, we planted sea buckthorn, wild apricot and shiny-leaved yellowhorn trees to help impoverished households increase income. On the other hand, we implemented breeding programs.