Land degradation is not only agreat environmental problem at present

but a great economic and social problem.It is one of the important forms of global eco-environmental deterioration

which prevents the sustainable economic development of the upper reach of Minjiang river. The land degradation status

especially the soil erosion and water losses are described

the whole area of which is 10264.69km2 in 1989 and 11913.14km2 in 1999

and respectively makes up 41.56% and 48.24% of the total area of the upper reach of Minjiang river.The causes of land degradation are analyzed.Based on the situation of the study area

countermeasures for land degradation control are put forward

namely

adjusting the agricultural structure

increasing the reverting from slope lands into terrace

controlling the population explosion and streng thening the legal system construction as well as the supervision.