Overview

In 1998, China witnessed one of the largest floods in history along the Yangtze River; 14,000,000 people were displaced, 25,000,000 hectares of agricultural lands were lost, and thousands of people died. The cause of the flood was identified as being deforestation upriver in Southwest China. This case study examines a pilot project implemented through the Chinese government’s ‘Sloping Lands Conversion Program’ to reforest Southwest China and prevent future disasters.