A Method for Restoration and Creation of Vegetation in Saline-alkali Environments which was developed by Mr. Xing Junwu, Project Manager and Research Fellow with the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), has been granted a patent by the State Intellectual Property Office of the People's Republic of China on Sept. 9, 2011(Patent No. 200810017114.1.). This was the third patent granted to the Institute in the field of saline-alkali agriculture since 1997 when they received the world's first patent relating to the cultivation of Suaeda sp.and the resulting establishment of a technological system for saline-based agriculture.

This technology overcomes the adverse affects of such dynamic factors as water flow in intertidal wetlands on plant seed settlement. It can be used to restore vegetation in bare areas, breed native vegetation, create and cultivate vegetation in coastal wetlands as well as inland areas with strong wind or water current environments. This technology can also be used in environmental greening and gardening projects to form growth patterns and characteristics for aesthetic effects and thus has a wide range of applications. The acceleration of economic development and urbanization in recent years, particularly in coastal areas, has accelerated the extinction of natural halophyte plants. Many natural halophytic vegetable species such as suaeda, salicornia, reed, tamarisk and salix which are found in large areas of the saline-alkali wetlands in Liaohe Estuary, Haihe Estuary, Yellow River Estuary, and the costal areas of Jiangsu have been shrinking for many years. Native vegetation has died, resulting in a variety of spotted and bare areas. In many locations, large areas of vegetation have disappeared entirely, and the area has become a secondary desert causing environmental problems and ecological hazards. Even the large area of single Suaeda salsa species which is known as the “Red Carpet” in Panjin is shrinking due to increasing human interventions in recent years such as tourism development. Spotted bare areas have made the “Red Carpet” appear tattered and ragged, and have created an ecological problem perplexing the local government. This technology can help remedy such problems through restoration of natural vegetation and improvement of the ecological environment. It can also help improve agriculture in saline-alkali lands thus improving local economies.

This technology is a key subject in the Knowledge Innovation Project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences for the Eleventh Five Year Period. It is one of the technological achievements noted under the subjects The Research and Demonstration of Key Technologies for Efficient Saline Agriculture and Research and Development of Efficient Suaeda glauca & S. salsa Cultivating Technologies in the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Science and Technology Support Program. This project has received continued support from the Office of Agricultural Programs of CAS.

This technology will have great significance in preventing the shrinkage and destruction of native vegetation in the saline-alkali environments, protecting and restoring the environmental aesthetics, preserving plant species, developing and improving agriculture in the saline-alkali areas and, consequently, increasing agricultural productivity and the value of local areas.