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Programs>>China-US Sustainable Land Use Training Program (MLR)

 

The China-US Sustainable Land Use Training Program (the "Training Program") was conceived in June 2000 on the occasion of the visit to the United States by Vice Minister Li Yuan of China's newly formed Ministry of Land and Resources. The Ministry was established in 1998 to plan, manage, protect, and effectively utilize the country's land, mineral, and marine resources.

 

The Ministry of Land and Resources is now designing a nationwide land use planning system that takes into account China's growing population, expanding private markets, and rapid economic development at a time when environmental degradation is increasing. According to Chinese sources, nearly half of China's rivers are seriously polluted and do not meet basic safety standards. Underground water is rapidly being depleted to meet urban and agricultural demand. Ninety percent of grasslands, which cover forty percent of China, are severely degraded - leading to sandstorms that blanket Chinese cities and, combined with industrial particulates, increasingly affect other countries including the west coast of the United States. China's pattern of land use will determine its future livability and economic prospects.

 

China's ambitious land planning program is taking on these critical issues and the Ministry of Land and Resources recognizes the value of learning from other countries' experiences. Thus, the Ministry signed a cooperative agreement to establish the China-US Sustainable Land Use Training Program with Portland State University (PSU) and the International Sustainable Development Foundation - the Secretariat for the China-US Center for Sustainable Development. From 2001 through 2005, nearly 300 land use officials from throughout China have participated in the Training Program. In light of the success of past training sessions, the parties agreed to renew the training agreement for another five-year period in 2005.

 

The Training Program curriculum combines the expertise of Portland State University faculty with the practical experience of Oregon government officials and business leaders. Field trips and site visits complement the classroom lectures, as the theories discussed are seen in real-world applications. Critical components of the Training Program include: considering the application of materials to the Chinese context, two-way transfer of knowledge, hands-on learning, and peer learning among the Chinese participants. Specifically, the curriculum focuses on the importance of sustainable land use planning and governance practice, protection of agriculturally and ecologically sensitive lands, fair markets for land transaction, and citizen participation in decision-making process of land use and planning.

 

This program has attracted participants from 29 provinces/areas in China. Following is a participation map for this program:

 

 

Source: 2008 MLR Brochure

 

 

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