The American Nature Protection Society has since 1998 helped establish ecological protection offices in Kunming, Lijiang, Shangri-la and Deqin in Yunnan Province by the end of 2002. The projects involve protection of birds, fish and plant life, environmental protection training, substitution energy, eco-tourism, water quality monitoring and designs of nature reserves.

The American society is a non-government organization fairly influential in eco-environmental protection in the world, bent on protecting with all means specified animals, plants and land and waters.

According to the province's environmental protection administration, the American society has decided to focus on the bio-diversity in the nature reserves in Lashihai Lake, Meilixueshan Mountain, Laojunshan Mountain, Shangri-la grand valley and Kaolikong Mountain.

It has a China Project Office staffed by 40 in China.

(www.cenews.com.cn March 4, 2003)