Drought is a basic background condition necessary for the onset of desertification, while human (utilization) of land and land degradation are primary influences on the process of desertification in northwestern China. Therefore, measures to constrol land desertification should be focused on abating environmental impact of human activity, for instance population should be controlled and the carrying capacity of the land should be increased. Acknowledging existing challenges in preventing land desertification and undertaking ecological restoration, this paper presents a discussion of new thinking and management systems. The crucial problems that need to be addressed with respect to ecological environment construction are put forward.