China's nature reserves are under-funded and nearly
self-supporting, says the State Forestry Administration. Less than
200 million yuan is given to the reserves from government. While
developed countries get an average of US$2,058 for each square km
and developing countries get US$157, China only receives US$52.7
per square km. With such a meager amount to work with, protection
and research of wild animals in these areas is suffering.
Li Zhihong, former vice director of the Hunchun Nature Reserve
in northeast China's Jilin Province says the facts speak for
themselves.
"Nature reserves do not receive enough funds from the
government, and their management fees are not included in the
budget of the local government. The lack of funds directly
influences the protection work of the nature reserves," he told
China Business News.
The 108,700-hectare Hunchun Nature Reserve borders Russia and
North Korea. It's the first nature reserve in China to focus on
protecting endangered species like Siberian tigers and leopards, as
well as their habitats.
Ironically, according to the China Business News
report, this nature reserve dedicated to environmental protection
is in danger itself due to a lack of funding. Huichan Nature
Reserve was promoted to a national nature reserve in July
2005.
.
Li reported that the reserve staff has tracked movement of Siberian
tigers 68 times and has even photographed the elusive and rare
beast hunting for prey.
However the reserve's administration is facing a difficult
financial situation. The Forestry Bureau of Hunchun City has paid
the reserve's staff wages of more than 1 million yuan each year for
the past three years, although they themselves are suffering a
funding shortage of 10 million yuan annually.
The Hunchun Nature Reserve was originally set up by the forestry
bureau which used to engage in logging and timber production. Since
state restricted logging, income of the bureau has sharply
declined. On the other hand, since the reserve is supported by the
state, government investment is expected to keep the administration
staff running.
Vice director of the reserve administration Xiao Wenli told
China Business News that once wages are paid to the staff,
there is no money left over and they must cover patrol costs
themselves.
With only one jeep in administration and two in the six protection
stations, they have to borrow cars from other units in order to
patrol. They even lack basic communication equipment like CB radios
and GPS.
According to the State Forestry Administration, most nature
reserves are short of funding and are self-supporting.
In 2002, the State Forestry Administration allocated 5.14
million yuan to the Hunchun Nature Reserve. The reserve also
received 1.2 million yuan from the Jilin provincial government and
an additional 1 million yuan as a financial subsidy.
"These monies are not even enough for the infrastructure
establishment." Li Zhihong said, "It is hard for us to further
protect and research the tigers and leopards with fatalness due to
lack of detection and research equipment."
Li believes it is the responsibility of all people in China and
the world to protect Siberian tigers and leopards. If there is only
support from Hunchun itself, Li feels it will be a long and
difficult road ahead.
The State Forestry Administration proposed last year that the
management fees of nature reserves be included in the public budget
of the relevant government.
There is still hope for Hunchun Nature Reserve, a sanctuary for
animals with dwindling numbers worldwide.
(China.org.cn by Li Xiaohua November 19, 2006)