IAEA/RCA Mid-Term Progress Review Meeting (PRM) on 'Restoration Development of Sustainable Land Use and Management Strategies for Controlling Soil Erosion and Improving Soil and Water Quality' will be held in Beijing, China from 22-25 January 2007 in cooperation with the Government of China through the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS).

The objective of the project is to develop sustainable land and water management strategies using fallout radionuclides for reducing soil erosion and improving soil and water quality in the East Asia and the Pacific region. The specific objectives of the project are 1) to measure soil erosion and deposition over several spatial and time scales by combined use of cesium-137, lead-210 and beryllium-7; 2) to establish soil redistribution-soil quality relationship under different land management practices by using the above results; 3) to develop guidelines to assess soil quality based on radionuclides, as by 1) and 2); and 4) to apply management practices developed as a result of the soil redistribution-soil quality relationship for effectively improving soil and water quality as well as increasing organic carbon storage in soil.

The main purpose of the meeting is to evaluate the progress achieved up to end of 2006.

For further information, contact Prof. Yong LI at yongli32@hotmail.com.