Quantifying the extent of ecological impact from China's poverty alleviation relocation program: A case study in Guizhou Province

The relocation of local residents from ecologically vulnerable areas, with the aim of alleviating poverty through spatial displacement, often referred to as the Poverty Alleviation Relocation (PAR), is recognized as a promising strategy to tackle the challenges of 'spatial poverty traps.' Nevertheless, the current quantitative research regarding the extent of PAR's impact on ecological restoration remains limited. This study focuses on Guizhou Province and aims to quantify the impact of PAR on the region's carbon sink capacity. Upon examining the alterations in Guizhou's Net Ecosystem Productivity (NEP) spanning the period from 2002 to 2021, our analysis revealed a fluctuating, yet predominantly upward trajectory. The average linear regression coefficient of 0.0046. Turning points in NEP evolution were observed in 2014, corroborating that the implementation of PAR in 2015 promoted ecological restoration. Accumulated data from four years of social research revealed noticeable changes in the production and lifestyle of residents in the relocation areas, contributing positively to ecological restoration. During 2015 to 2021, the ridge regression average trend coefficient in the research area was 0.0066. In 52.77% of the research area, there was no significant correlation between the population of PAR and the NEP variable. Among the significantly correlated regions, migration was positively associated with NEP variables, accounting for 55.74% of the total. The average contribution of PAR was 4.62%, showing regional variations, with a notably positive impact in severely rocky desertification areas and predominantly negative effects in non-karst regions. Our study findings suggest a positive influence of PAR on bolstering carbon sinks capacity, though this impact exhibits regional variations. We suggest reinforcing the management of land vacated through PAR by integrating it with ecological industries. For other regions intending to achieve ecological restoration and poverty alleviation through immigration relocation, it is advisable to implement measures tailored to the specific local conditions.