Abstract: Four gramineous pasture grasses (Festuca arundinacea, Elymus sibiricus, Bromus inermis and Bromus riparius) were planted in representative wasteland of the buffer zone of Guanting reservoir. After 2 years, the surface soils (0-30 cm) were sampled and analyzed to explore the effects of pasture grasses on soil physicochemical properties. The four pasture grasses grew well on the wasteland and produced 10.99 t/ha dry forage a year which can be used to feed livestock. The physicochemical properties of the wasteland soil were considerably improved by the physical, chemical and biological effects of the pasture grasses, but the effects were not significant between them. In terms of physical properties, the clay was significantly increased by 14% silt was significantly reduced by 21%, the soil water-stable aggregates with particle size>0.25 mm increased by 112%, the bulk density was significantly reduced by 15% and soil porosity was also considerably improved. In terms of chemical properties, soil organic matter was significantly increased by 227%, total nitrogen by 76%, and total phosphorus, available nitrogen and available phosphorous were increased by 66%, 41%, and 4%, respectively. We conclude that planting the four gramineous pasture grasses on the wasteland will generate both significant ecological and some economic benefits. This pattern may be a possible solution for the remediation and utilization of wasteland in northern China.