Ecological Benefits Evaluation in Ecological Migration Zone Based on Ecological Green Equivalent: A Case Study of Migration Zone in Yanchi County

With four ecological migration zones in Huamachi Town of Yanchi County in Ningxia Autonomous Region as the object of study, we carry out the evaluation of ecological benefits in ecological migration zone. Using the SPOT satellite remote sensing image in 2008 and UAV aerophotographic image in 2013, we first monitor and analyze the land use change over five years in the study area, and then adopt ecological green equivalent evaluation model for the evaluation of ecological benefits in the ecological migration zone. Studies have shown that: (i) from 2008 to 2013, the ecological green equivalent in the study area was increased and the ecological environment was improved; (ii) the ecological green equivalent in the study area was less than 1 in 2008 and 2013, and ecological environment was still fragile in the migration zone; (iii) the forest coverage rate of the study area was 20% less than the minimum forest coverage rate of the United Nations, but 15% higher than the forest coverage rate of the Ministry of Environmental Protection. There is a large gap between the forest coverage rate based on ecological green equivalent and optimal forest coverage rate, suggesting that the land use still needs to be adjusted in study area, and it is necessary to increase efforts to strengthen ecological restoration and continue to implement forest conservation, returning land for farming to forestry and other measures.