A new project is to be introduced to protect the giant panda. This
will involve forming a corridor in the
Qinling
Mountains in a bid to link up their fragmented pockets of
habitat and expand their living space. The habitat for giant pandas
in this area is expected to come under pressure within the next
three years.
Li
Ning, Chief of the Giant Panda Division of the World Wildlife Fund
(WWF), describes this cooperative, protective project launched by
the World Nature Fund and the Shaaxi Forestry Department.
Five belts are planned to make up the link corridor. They will be
located in Houzhenzi in Zhouzhi County, Dashuping in the Taibai
Bureau, Erlangba in Taibai County, Jiuchihe in Yangxian County and
Canziping in the Ningxi Bureau. Their construction will involve
marking out the territory, managing the existing forestation,
introducing new forestation, fire prevention measures, culvert
construction, development of the local communities, scientific
research and so on.
Forest management and fire prevention will be implemented with the
aid of funds allocated for the protection of natural forests.
Culvert construction and community initiatives will be implemented
via ancillary projects. Overall completion of this massive
undertaking is anticipated in 2005.
Each belt will be laid out with a core and associated transitional
zones taking account of the numbers of the giant pandas and the
terrain in the vicinity. Local conditions will also determine the
nature of other diverse activities ranging from planting to
administration.
The guiding principle will be the need to conserve an integrated
living environment for the giant pandas. Every effort will be
devoted to developing bio-resources and promoting population
exchange within the species and to the development of giant pandas
generally in the Qinling Mountains.
"This is a project which will involve conservation work, improve
conservation facilities and develop the economies of the local
communities. It will use sound scientific principles to establish
priorities and plan for the effective functioning of the new giant
panda corridors," said Li Ning.
Experts in the field claim that the construction of the Qinling
Giant Panda Corridor' will serve to better link the living areas of
the giant pandas, expand their living space, establish an
integrated population in the Qinling Mountains reserve and improve
the currently fragmented nature of their habitat.
This project will help to promote exchange within the gene pool of
the population, increasing giant panda numbers and strengthening
the species. It will also help conserve other endangered species.
It will protect, reinstate and enlarge the forests. It will tackle
soil erosion, conserve water resources and improve water quality to
the benefit of the local eco-environment. Through such inputs as
training and the introduction of technology, the project will pave
the road to economic development for local residents.
(china.org.cn translated by Zhang Tingting, July 25, 2002)