Chief Tasks for Scientific Management of Land Resources in Western Inland Watersheds —— Taking as an example the Hexi Corridor in Gansu Province

Accounting for about one thirds of the national territory, inland watersheds are found completely in West China, with a severe and unique eco－ enviroment. Land resource exploitation and social－ economic sustainable development are closedly linked in this region. Taking as an example the Hexi Corridor in Gansu Province, this paper briefly analyzes eco－ environmental problems in land resource exploitation, and comes up with the chief tasks to cater to the great development in West China in the new century and to the sustainable development of land resources and management of eco－ environment. The tasks are: determining long－ term stategic objects for the balance of water and land resources in the region; establishing functioning zones of land use in each of the watersheds and reasonable systems and mechanisms of distribution and utilization of water and land resources; emphasizing and securing a synchronous monitoring of quality and quantity of land resources; optimizing land use structure and strengthening control of land use to reverse the shrinkage of aquifer zones and ecological protection belts; striving to start the project of beautifying the land in the region.