Adopted at the 11th Session of the Standing Committee of the 6th National People’s Congress on June 18, 1985; revised at the 31st Session of the Standing Committee of the 9th National People’s Congress on December 28, 2002; amended in accordance with the Decision on Amending the Grassland Law adopted at the 10th Session of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People’s Congress on August 27, 2009; amended for the second time in accordance with the Decision on Amending the Grassland Law adopted at the 6th Session of the Standing Committee of the 12th National People’s Congress on December 28, 2013
Effective: March 1, 2003 (revision); December 28, 2013 (latest amendment)
Table of Contents
Chapter I — General Provisions
Article 1 — This Law is enacted for the purposes of protecting, building, and rationally utilizing grasslands, improving the ecological environment, maintaining biodiversity, developing modern animal husbandry, and promoting sustainable economic and social development.
Article 2 — This Law applies to the planning, protection, construction, utilization, and management of grasslands within the territory of the People’s Republic of China. “Grasslands” as used in this Law means natural grasslands and artificial grasslands.
Chapter II — Grassland Ownership and Use Rights
Article 3 — Grasslands shall be owned by the state, except for those grasslands that are owned by collectives as provided for by law. State-owned grasslands may be used by collective economic organizations in accordance with the law. Grassland use rights may be transferred in accordance with the law.
Chapter III — Grassland Planning
Article 4 — The state shall implement a system of unified planning for the protection, construction, and utilization of grasslands. Grassland protection, construction, and utilization plans shall be incorporated into the national economic and social development plans.
Chapter IV — Grassland Construction
Article 5 — The state shall encourage and support grassland construction. People’s governments at or above the county level shall increase investment in grassland construction and support the construction of artificial grasslands, improved grasslands, and forage production and processing bases.
Chapter V — Grassland Utilization
Article 6 — Grassland contractual operators shall rationally utilize grasslands and shall not exceed the approved livestock-carrying capacity. Grassland contractual operators shall adopt a combination of rotational grazing, rest grazing, and prohibition of grazing, to achieve a balance between grassland and livestock.
Chapter VI — Grassland Protection
Article 7 — The state shall implement a system of basic grassland protection. Important grasslands such as natural grasslands used primarily for grazing, grasslands used for forage seed collection, and grasslands that play a special role in regulating climate, conserving water, preventing wind erosion, and fixing sand shall be designated as basic grasslands for strict protection.
Chapter VII — Supervision and Inspection
Article 8 — The competent administrative department for grasslands under the State Council and the competent administrative departments for grasslands of local people’s governments at or above the county level shall be responsible for the supervision and inspection of grasslands.
Chapter VIII — Legal Liability
Article 9 — Where grasslands are illegally occupied, reclaimed, or overgrazed, the competent administrative department for grasslands shall order the violator to cease the illegal act and restore the vegetation within a prescribed time limit, and shall confiscate the illegal gains and impose a fine.
Chapter IX — Supplementary Provisions
Article 10 — This Law shall come into force on March 1, 2003.
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