Background The Yangtze River Basin shelterbelt system construction project is the first national key ecological treatment project in China. In order to improve the deteriorating ecological environment of the Yangtze River Basin, China has put forward the overall goal of building shelter forests in the Yangtze River Basin. It is planned to use 30-40 years to plant trees in the Yangtze River Basin, increase the area of forests, improve the situation of soil erosion, and ensure social and economic development.

Methods Through the implementation of the Yangtze River Basin shelterbelt system construction project, we will continue to push forward the watershed ecological management work.

Results Promoting ecological management in the Yangtze River Basin with the model of ecological engineering has achieved remarkable results, and has achieved obvious ecological, economic and social benefits.

Conclusions Through reviewing the 30-year history of the construction of the protective forest system project in the Yangtze River Basin, this paper clarifies the development context of the Yangtze River Basin engineering control in China, summarizes the technical system and comprehensive control model of soil and water loss by biological measures such as afforestation, and extends the successful experience and typical achievements to other areas. We are looking forward to the future development trend of the Yangtze River Basin shelter forest construction in China.