Environmental sustainability is a priority in China’s economic and social development. This article reviews thethree-decade evolvement of forest tenure reform in China’s southern collectively-owned forest areas, and makesa preliminary assessment of the environmental impacts of the tenure transformation. We focus especially on anarea that has been in the vanguard of reform—Sanming Prefecture in Fujian province. Transition paths that haveshaped diverse forest tenure forms differ from place to place in southern China. Entirely new property rights andsocial relations have been created, largely on local initiative, in a brief time. De-collectivization and marketoriented policies in general have supplied incentives for widespread forest planting and investment to supplynew industries, with complex environmental impacts. The farmers involve express satisfaction with how the newtenure system has improved their autonomy and livelihoods. Further, systems of payments for environmentalservices are just beginning to emerge. However, comprehensive and integrative assessment of those effects atlandscape level is in its infancy. A more adaptive strategy for monitoring effects and improving environmentalperformance in the land of bamboo groves is needed.
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