Abstract: Watershed ecological restoration is now at the forefront of watershed study. The theory and methodology of scientific watershed planning provides a wealth of research paths and ideas for the healthy and sustainable development of watersheds. In this paper we emphasize that non-biotic factors such as water is the foundation for biotic factors, and expound that hydrology, together with terrain and soil, plays a decisive role in ecological restoration. We advocate nature-based solutions (NbS) for watershed ecological restoration. We strongly believe that hydrological restoration is fundamental to ecological restoration, and hydrological planning should play a leading role in multi-disciplinary watershed protection and restoration. Moreover, we propose a scientific approach for watershed’s healthy, steady and sustainable development by understanding the relations among natual ecological elements, systematic planning of biotic factors and non-biotic factors while balancing human demand and ecologic protection.

Key words: watershed ecological restoration, hydrological planning, nature-based solution, mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes and grasses, natural resoration, natural resources elements, ecological planning