Abstract: Based on the related literatures and the analysis and comparison of ecological risks, a basic estimation was made on the advances in the Shelter Forest System Program in Three-North Regions of China (SFSPTNRC), the situation of landdesertification in the regions, and the strategic role of the SFSPTNRC in desertification prevention and control. The SFSPTNRC had achieved great success, but the ecological, social, and economic benifits needed to be further evaluated scientifically and accurately. Unreasonable land-use activities, e.g.,over-cultivation, overgrazing, and deforestation, were still the main causes of serious desertification in the regions. Though the SFSPTNRC had recovered the structure and function of degraded ecosystems and enhanced the disturbance-resistant capability of frang ble ecosystems, being effective in preventing and controlling desertification, this Program could not substitute the active defense strategies because of its inefficiency in eliminating anthropogenic disturbances. Therefore, the ecological safety of the Three-North Regions of China should be depended on the earnestly executing the guideline ‘both preventing and managing while emphasizing preventing’ in desertification control. An effective way to keep the cause of desertification within limits was suggested from the concept of ecological civilization, and with the reference of ‘ecoprovince’, a framework for the construction of ecological Three-North Regions, including eco-economic system, eco-environmen talsystem, eco-morality system, and eco-legal system, was brought forward.

Key words: Soluble sugar content, Neosinocalamus affinis, Clonal plant, Module level, Ramet level