Restoration of high altitude peatlands in Ruoergai Plateau, China

The peatlands of the Ruoergai Plateau in Sichuan and Gansu Provinces in China cover about 350,000 ha and are the largest remaining high altitude peatlands in China. They are of critical importance for endangered species such as Black-necked Crane (Grus nigricollis) as well as regulating the water flow in the upper yellow River. Large-scale drainage for pasture improvement combined with overgrazing since the 1950s has degraded the ecosystem. Approximately 920 km of artificial ditches excavated from the 1960s to 1990s have degraded more than 65,000 ha. Pilot restoration measures were initiated by Wetlands International and Global Environment Centre…