[Objective] To evaluate the eco-security status in Xichuan County of He'nan Province, the core water source area of Danjiangkou reservoir, in order to put forward corresponding control measures to ensure the long-term performance of the middle route of south-to-north water diversion project. [Methods] Based on the improved PSR(presure-state-response) model, AHP (analytic hierarchy process) and GIS technology, the temporal and spatial evolution of ecological security in Xichuan County was evaluated. The main driving factors of ecological security in Xichuan County was analyzed by principal component analysis. [Results] ① The eco-security situation of Xichuan County fluctuated, but overall improved. Compared with 2000, the towns with medium and primary warning were reduced by 3, while the towns with the relatively safe increased by 6 in 2015. ② The spatial pattern of eco-security in Xichuan County was higher in the northeast and southwest, but lower in the northwest and southeast. ③ According to the driving force analysis, it was found that the main reason for the improvement of eco-security level in Xichuan County was the positive response of environmental governance. [Conclusion] The benign transformation of ecological security needs to promote regional eco-security and sustainable socio-economic development by actively guiding human activities and multi-raising measures.