'Three-grassland' model heals Qinghai ecosystems

Lajia's family now maintains a stable flock of nearly 200 sheep, almost double its former size. Improved feed and livestock management have also raised the quality and value of the animals.

At the same time, his work as an ecological ranger provides a regular salary. The combination of livestock production and ecological conservation has given the family two sources of income.

The scientific model combines ecological monitoring, grassland carrying-capacity assessments, degraded grassland restoration, forage cultivation and balanced livestock feeding. Drones, satellite remote sensing and artificial intelligence-based identification technologies are also used to monitor wildlife, assess habitats and support ecological planning.

Research data show that 67,000 hectares of high-quality cultivated grassland in areas surrounding the three-river-source region can produce 610,000 metric tons of forage each year, helping maintain a more stable balance between livestock numbers and available grassland.

Demonstration projects that have transferred grazing pressure equivalent to 810,000 sheep are estimated to have expanded the habitat available to wild ungulates such as Tibetan antelopes and wild yaks by 3.85 million hectares.

The model has been tested through specialized cooperatives, family ranches, jointly operated ranches and State-owned ranches.

In Guinan county, demonstration projects have improved grassland quality, shortened the feeding cycles of yaks and Tibetan sheep, increased livestock production efficiency and raised herders' incomes.

Monitoring of grassland managed by cooperatives has also shown improvements in vegetation coverage, biomass and plant diversity after measures such as spring grazing bans and seasonal grazing adjustments were introduced with support from cultivated forage.

Shen Yuhu, director of the national park institute's Plateau Eco-agriculture Research Center, said forage breeding is an important part of the ecological strategy.

Agriculture and ecological protection are often regarded as separate issues, Shen said, but they are closely connected in the three-river-source region.