Forest Transition and Its Dynamics in Subtropical Chongqing, China since 1990s

Abstract

This research aims to advance our understanding towards forest transition, which is about the shift from net deforestation to net reforestation over a given area during certain period, through a case study of a western city in China from 1990 to 2015. Three main contributions are made to the theory and practice of forest land management. First, this research enriches forest transition theory with a meso-level exploration on forest land change in subtropic Chongqing, which echoes the “U” shape transition rules widely observed in the Euro-American context but was found a time lag of the turning point until 2000s. Second, it intentionally identifies the subtype of forests—the artificial plantation, which is considered influential on performance of forest’s carbon sequestration but not paid sufficient attention to. Third, it adds knowledge on forest transition pathway at an intra-urban scale through the identified significance degree of forest transition dynamics, which implies that economic development matters but is less important than topography in a mountainous city like Chongqing, and different dimensions of economy impact differently on forest transition.