Destroyed Farmlands and Forests

Most of the farmlands and forests that were destroyed in the Wenchuan earthquake were located in the mountainous areas of the northwest Sichuan Basin in the Minshan Mountain Range between 2000 and 5000 m altitude. In this region, there are high mountains and many rivers, the main rivers being the Minjiang, Jianjiang, and Fujiang. Most of the river valleys are V shaped. This region is covered with high-density forests that contain a wide variety of trees and plants, encompassing more than 4000 species. The forest cover primarily comprises dense trees and shrubs, while sparse forest, younger forests, and reforested clear-cut areas make up less than 20% of the total forest. Larger areas of farmlands distributed in the mountains and hills of the earthquake region are mainly terraced. Moreover, local and national governments have established more than 20 natural conservation areas for giant panda protection in this region. About 40% of giant pandas around the country live in these conservation areas.