Land degradation is not only agreat environmental problem at present,but a great economic and social problem.It is one of the important forms of global eco-environmental deterioration,which prevents the sustainable economic development of the upper reach of Minjiang river. The land degradation status,especially the soil erosion and water losses are described,the whole area of which is 10264.69km² in 1989 and 11913.14km² in 1999,and respectively makes up 41.56% and 48.24% of the total area of the upper reach of Minjiang river.The causes of land degradation are analyzed.Based on the situation of the study area,countermeasures for land degradation control are put forward,namely,adjusting the agricultural structure,increasing the reverting from slope lands into terrace,controlling the population explosion and streng thening the legal system construction as well as the supervision.