After several years of comprehensive management, water loss and soil erosion has been brought under control in the Sanjiangyuan area in northwest China's Qinghai Province, which had greatly improved the neigboring environment.

Lying at an average altitude of 4,000 m, the area is considered as the waterhead of China's three major rivers (the Yellow River, the Yangtze River and the Lancang River), and also the most primitive region with the most fragile eco-system.

In recent years, extreme weather occurs more frequently due to global warming and human activities, etc.

The latest data shows the area of water loss and soil erosion hits 95,032.68 sq. km, with the water erosion and freeze-thaw erosion as the main causes.

"In 2005, the government launched the Sanjiangyuan ecological protection and construction project with a total investment of 7.5 billion yuan in Yushu, Huangnan and Golak Tibetan Autonomous prefectures," said Zhang Yande, director-general of Qinghai Water and Soil Conservation Bureau. "At present, 75.2 sq. km soil erosion has been put under control in the Sanjingyuan area by planting trees, installing fences, building stone valleys and so on."

Thanks to the effective measures, the average height of grass increased by 10-30 cm, 70% higher than former, the vegetation coverage rose by 70%-80%, the forage production reached 270.68 kg per mu, and the mid-lightly degraded grassland has reached the quality standard.

It's still a long way to go to curb the ecological deterioration and preserve soil in the Sanjingyuan area, for water loss and soil erosion caused by human activities is the major factor in threatening the environment.