Deforestation in Heilongjiang Province of China, 1896–2000: Severity, spatiotemporal patterns and causes

Abstract

This study attempts to ascertain the spatiotemporal patterns of de(re)forestation and its causes in Heilongjiang Province, China during the last century. In 1896, there were 308,020 km2 of forest covering 68% of the Province. Forest area was reduced to 247,256 km2 by 1949 at an annual rate of 1146 km2. By 1958 primary forest was reduced to 169,533 km2 while secondary forest remained at 68,801 km2. Thus, 9421 km2 of forest were logged at a rate of 1046 km2 per annum. From 1958 to 1980, forest as a whole was reduced by 22,326 km2 at an annual rate of 1014 km2. The amount of deforestation was reduced to 9211 km2 for dense forest, but sparse forest gained 831 km2 during 1980–2000. The net decrease of 8379 km2 represents an annual loss of 419 km2. Spatially, deforested areas used to be extensive and expansive, but have become fragmented with thousands of patches that have a shrinking mean size. These deforested sites were located in low-lying flat terrains with a close proximity to rivers and roads. Such land was replaced primarily by farmland and secondarily by grassland. Therefore, the causes of deforestation are identified as demand for timber, population-driven land reclamation up to 1980, and urbanisation in the last two decades.