Two projects completed by Chengdu Institute of Mountain Hazard and Environment (IMHE), CAS won second prize of 2009 National Scientific and Technological Progress Awards. The two projects are “The mitigation theory and technology for debris flow hazard along roads and railways in mountainous area, western China "and “Research on Ecological Security of Tibet Plateau”.

The project of “The mitigation theory and technology for debris flow hazard along roads and railways in mountainous area, western China” discussed comprehensively the characteristics, distributions and situations of debris flow in western China, summarized the problems of debris flows and proposed the mitigation countermeasures. This team designed an Assistant Decision Supporting System of Debris Flow Mitigation along the Traffic lines for Mountain areas. This system has got national software copyright and has been applied in Sichuan-Tibet Road Repair Project, China-Nepal Road Repair Project, Tibet-Panzhihua Expressway Construction Project, Ya’an-Luzhou Expressway Construction and Lanzhou-Chengdu-Chongqing Tube Construction, etc. The research achievement contributes to the reducing disasters, preventing disasters, and finally suggests a new reasonable exploration of research.

Another project of “Research on Ecological Security of Tibet Plateau” revealed coupling relationships between eco-environment characteristics and human activities in Tibet Plateau. This team put forward research on new investigation methodology of degenerate grassland, eco-environment fragility degree and ecosystem services assessment, ecological carrying capacity model, human disturbance degree and ecological safety comprehensive evaluation assessment, etc. An important achievement of “Planning of the Protection and Construction of the State Ecological Safe Shelter Zone on the Tibet Plateau” has been listed as one of the twelve national major proposals in 2006 by National People’s Congress and passed on February 18th, 2009 by the State Council, with an implementation fund of 17 billion from the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

Professor ZHONG Xianghao and CUI Peng took part in this award presentation ceremony and had a cordial meeting with our country’s leaders. Professor LU Yongxiang, president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), issued a congratulatory letter to express respect for every scientist.

The two awards present a significant progress of IMHE’s researches since CAS Innovation Project was launched.