Social and Economic Benefits of Forest Reconstruction

Abstract

In this chapter, the social and economic benefits brought about by forestry–agriculture composite management, wasteland afforestation, and management of forest sites with good methods are introduced. Planting economic crops, green manure, and green fodder in orange orchards not only improve the growth conditions for oranges but also improves land utilization ratios, increases the output value per unit area, and generates satisfying economic benefits. In particular, the virtuous cycle model integrated planting and breeding by planting grain amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus), an excellent fodder rich in protein, in the vacant spaces of the orange orchard, feeding livestock and poultry with its stems and leaves, and then collecting animal manure in a biogas digester. The yield of grain amaranth interplanting in orchards was as high as 45 t ha^–1, which could be used to feed pigs and poultry, replacing one-third of the concentrated feed and increasing the quality and smell of meat greatly. The biogas produced by biogas digester with raw materials of grain amaranth straw and manure of livestock and poultry could provide domestic energy and illumination for 20 people of four families living on the orchard farm, reducing environmental pollution and saving huge costs of electricity and fuel. With the increasing income, local residents’ awareness of forest reconstruction and environment protection was aroused, and poverty was eliminated.