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Reforestation is one of the most important and efficient measures of water and soil conservation. Based on field investigations in the Shangyang Soil Conservation and Reforestation Station in Huizhou, Guangdong Province, China, we studied the variation in vegetation development, vegetation succession processes and soil erosion. The regional vegetation consists mainly of monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forests (MEBF). The area was deforested and became a denuded hill area with extremely high soil erosion in the 1960s and 1970s. Then, the area was closed in order to allow recovery of the vegetation. Under natural conditions the vegetation development and succession processes were slow during which soil erosion and strong sunshine and evaporation slowed down the development of the vegetation. About 25 years later, the vegetation cover was still merely 35% or so. The dominant vegetation types were heliophilous herbage and shrubs which formed a poorly developed shrub-herbage community and erosion remained high. In contrast, reforestation with selected tree species dramatically speeded up the vegetation succession process. About 12 years after reforestation, vegetation cover of the Acacia auriculiformis plantations in the Shangyang Station was 90% and erosion was under control. After 23 years, understory vegetation, consisting of indigenous species, had developed in the plantations. The planted trees and naturally developing herbage, shrubs, bamboo, local trees and liana formed a complex vegetation community in three layers. It will take 60 years for the vegetation to succeed from bare land to a secondary growth forest under natural conditions. Reforestation may speed up the vegetation succession process. The time may be reduced to 20 years. Reforestation is the most effective measure of vegetation restoration and erosion control in this area.

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