Inspired by the success of the Future Generations China Pendeba Program in Tibet and the community-level conservation projects discovered on the Green Long March 2007, Future Generations China and The College of Humanities and Development, China Agricultural University developed a three-year pilot project that will build 105 Model Eco-Communities across China.

35 villages were selected as the first set of pilot communities from four provinces: Liaoning Province, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and Guizhou Province, based on exemplary conservation projects including energy-saving Kang systems, water safety projects, public toilet development, garbage disposal management, biogas projects development, and agricultural plastic tarp recycling. Click here to see the full map of Model Eco-Communities (MEC) project sites.

Objectives

The MEC Program will focus on local and regional training for rural project leaders to develop and expand their existing conservation projects and scale them up over a 3-year period. Through this program the following needs will be addressed:

• Capacity building of local project leaders
• Improved living conditions
• Creation of demonstrations sites

Map of scaling-up process for Model Eco-Community program:

Long-term Development

Each community in the 3-year cycle receives three years of training in Future Generations community development methodology and expertise from local and international development experts, and becomes a model village for subsequent demonstration projects for new communities to the program. They also receive 3 years of seed grants for project implementation.

Timeline for 3-year cycle: