Abstract: Abstract：Under the background of rapid urbanization, the risk of damage to the ecological environment will increase, which will definitely affect the stability and security of the social economy and ecosystem. Based on RS and GIS, this study used the evaluation methods of NPP quantitative index, spatial conflict measurement and disjunction algorithm to comprehensively evaluate the ecological environment in Northern Shaanxi from the following aspects: ecosystem service importance, ecological sensitivity and spatial conflict. Under the framework of “Importance-Sensitivity-Conflict”, we identified key areas of ecological protection in Northern Shaanxi and put forward management recommendations. Results show that: (1) The key ecological protection region in northern Shaanxi were mainly distributed in Huanglong Mountain, Ziwuling area, the Loess Hilly and Gully Region in the Middle and Maowusu Desert; (2) High value and high sensitivity of ecosystem was found in Yan’an city, which was also a hotspot of space conflict with high ecological risks; (3)The level of spatial conflict in Yan’an City was stronger than that in Yulin City. Energy exploitation activities, topographic fluctuations, road expansion and ecological engineers brought pressure and ecological risk to the local ecological environment. Our study showed that the "Importance-Sensitivity-Conflict" framework could provide a new way of idea for ecological protection and identification of the key ecological protection areas. It is of great significance not only to coordinate the contradiction between the construction of towns and ecological environment protection, but also to identify the key ecological protection areas, which will provide meaningful policy reference.
Key words：importance of ecosystem services; ecological sensitivity; spatial conflict;key areas of ecological protection