Ecological Protected Area Evaluation and Site Selection Methods Based on the Saihanba Ecological Model

The Saihanba ecological model has achieved brilliant success in environmental protection. Given that desertification and environmental pollution are serious problems in many areas, it is valuable to copy the success of the Saihanba Forest to other areas in need of China. In this paper, we first proposes an ecological protected area (EPA) evaluation method focusing on (1) the impact of the EPA on the environment before and after the establishment of the EPA, and (2) the environmental influence of the EPA on surrounding areas. Specifically, the principal component analysis method is used to evaluate the environmental impact of Saihanba before and after its restoration. Taking the impact of Saihanba on sandstorms in North China as an example, the multiple linear regression method is used to establish the impact model in the surrounding areas. According to the impact model, the construction of Saihanba reduces about 9.8 days of sand-dust weather in North China every year. In addition, this paper also proposes an EPA site selection method. To be specific, this paper explores how to promote the Saihanba ecological model to establish EPA in China. Through cluster analysis, Ordos and Alxa League in Inner Mongolia as well as Yulin in Shaanxi are selected as the sites to establish ecological reserves. To balance ecological, economic, and industrial land and to ensure that target areas have enough land, the area (size) of the EPA is estimated according to the Markov model. Besides, the impact on China’s carbon neutrality goals is assessed and the contribution rates of Ordos, Alxa, and Yulin to the reduction of national carbon emissions are 2.8%0,1.1%0, and 1.7%0,, respectively.