Environmental research

The project site is located in the key county of national poverty alleviation and development.The location is in a mountainous area and local people live on farming, which generate large amounts of agricultural residues.Burning and discarding straw is very common. The villagers also cut woods as fuel or sell for a living,which is result in the increasing emissions of CO2. The project will promote the use of straw as biomass fuel and reuse the straw to make useful products, which will contribute to climate change mitigation and improvement of local livelihood. Main Problems: 1) Local people rely on woods and coal for heating and cooking which result in serious degradation of forests and increasing CO2 emission. 2) The CO2, CH4, Dioxin and other hazardous substance produced by straw burning and the decay of waste straw will directly lead to climate change and harm the farmers health. 3) The local people are lacking of awareness of ecological conservation and climate change. Solutions/ activities: 1)conduct publicity and education on climate change and biodiversity conservation to local people 2)provide training on straw knit to reducing straw burning 3)Organize local women to plant trees 4)Establish a biomass fuel pressing base and one agricultural and forestal waste disposal plant 5)Establish farmers` straw knit cooperative to link market for straw knit products 6)Publicize project results and submit policy recommendation to government Anticipated results/outcomes: 1) 500 households informed with knowledge of climate change and biodiversity conservation 2) 100 women master straw knit skills; 333 tons of CO2 reduced and their income increased $118033 3) 200 trees planted and 30 ha. of forest protected 4) Produce 350 tons of biomass fuel per year, which can save 240 tons of wood and reduce 100 tons of agricultural waste burning and $35410 cost per year 5) Distribute 2000 copies outreach materials, submit one policy recommendation and publish 2 media coverage

China