Abstract: Based on the analysis of the changes in component,structure and function of the community in the process of restoration of the degraded community,the restoring capability of the degraded mountainous forest community in desolated zone was evaluated using potential degree of restoration and restoration degree as indicators,the ecological process of natural recovering of the degraded mountainous forest community was revealed.It provides a theoretical basis as well as practical method to restore the large-area degraded forest community in desolated zone in northwest China.