ENDANGERED SPECIES

Efforts over the last 20 years to restore and revegetate the barren slopes and beaches of China’s hilly Nanao Island have centered on the application of a Multiple Treatment Ecosystem structure that incorporates "eco-agriculture" practices that minimize economic and ecologic cost/ benefit ratios. Land productivity is improved by planting forest, orchards or dryland crops across upper, middle or lower slopes respectively. This provides the needed balance between hillside protection, crops for export, and crops for local consumption. perennial bunchgrasses, polyacrylamide--at a rate of 0.45 kg (1 lb.) per 32.5 m2 (350 ft2)--was applied to test the material’s ability to retain soil moisture within the root zone, thus enhancing bunchgrass growth. Compared With a non-treated section, the test plot showed significantly higher grass coverage and frequency.