Citation Detail: John MacKinnon, WANG Sung, XIE Yan and Andrew Smith. 1996. Fourth Annual Report of the BWG/CCICED. in: Conserving China's Biodiversity. China Environmental Science Press. Beijing. 47-66p.

 

BIODIVERSITY WORKING GROUP
FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT TO CCICED

July 1996, beijing

бяBACKGROUNDбяSUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES OF BWG IN THE CURRENT YEAR 1995/6бяSUMMARY OF THE THREE PREVIOUS YEARS' WORK OF BWGбяFUTURE PLANS OF THE BIODIVERSITY WORKING GROUPбяACKNOWLEDGMENTS

BACKGROUND

This working group was formed at the end of 1992 under the joint chairmanship of Prof. Wang Sung of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Dr. John MacKinnon, Director of the Asian Bureau for Conservation. Membership of the group is currently composed of an additional six international experts and four national experts as follows:

Dr. Mark Collins
Dr. Charles Barber
Dr. Steven Edwards
Dr. Andrew Smith
Dr. Jeff McNeely
Prof. Eduardo Fuentes
Prof. Chen Yiyu
Prof. Chen Lingzhi
Mr. Qing Jianhua
Prof. Wang Xianpu		 Director, WCMC
World Resources Institute
IUCN, Director of Sustainable Use Programme
Professor, Arizona State University
IUCN Biodiversity Programme
UNDP, Director of GEF/Biodiversity Programme
Vice-President, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)
Institute of Botany, CAS
Director, Ministry of Forestry
Institute of Botany, CAS

In addition, the following three Chinese scientists have become de facto members of the group:

Prof. Xu Zaifu
Prof. Li Dianmo
Dr. Wang Zongyi 		Director,Kunming Institute of Botany, CAS
DeputyDirector, Institute of Zoology, CAS
BeijingAcademy of Science and Technology

Additional international and national scientists have been recruited for specific meetings and studies as needed.
The terms of reference of the working group have been modified slightly since the formation of the group and are now as follows:

  1. Create a fertile forum for exchange of ideas and approaches whereby China has access to wider experience beyond her borders and where managers can network with scientists and technicians to solve issues of policy, strategy and action in the field of Biodiversity Conservation.

  2. Provide a mechanism whereby priority needs identified by scientists and technicians can be brought to the attention of relevant leaders and decision-makers through a multisectoral forum.

  3. Provide an independent view of China's biodiversity and advise the government on areas of concern or sectoral failure.

  4. Provide advice and assistance as needed in China's participation in international biodiversity conventions and programs to ensure that China gets maximal benefit from these mechanisms and also presents the most favourable international image of its considerable biodiversity achievements.

  5. Initiate studies to demonstrate the contribution of biodiversity conservation to regional economic development in selected ecosystems in China and identify both factors that threaten such systems and appropriate remedies to ensure the sustainability of such benefits.

SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES OF BWG
IN THE CURRENT YEAR 1995/6

During the current year, after several years of minimal funding, the working group have been fortunate to secure substantial funding from both CIDA and the European Union to support their work. This has permitted the initiation of some more detailed practical work to improve the effectiveness of the group in commenting to the council on pressing aspects of biodiversity conservation and sustainable utilisation. Four projects are currently underway.

I. Development of a Biodiversity Database System

The BWG is actively developing a biodiversity database system which it hopes to network to other biodiversity research and management agencies in the near future. The database has two main components - The China Endangered Species Information System (CESIS) and the Biodiversity Information Management System (BIMS).

1. The China Endangered Species Information System (CESIS)

CESIS is almost established at the beginning of 1996, using equipment already installed in the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences from the CAS 8th 5-year Plan, Biodiversity Programme. Information on 653 vertebrate animal species (including 160 mammal, 284 birds, 101 fishes, 108 amphibians and reptiles) has already been entered, and a service program is also available. By using the programme, the following information can be easily found:

  1. Information on species: taxon, endangered category (including IUCN Red List, CITES appendix, rank in Chinese Red Data Book (in press), state protected species list), Chinese name, English name, trade name, distribution and population, threat, protected measures taken, recommendations, rearing conditions, breeding conditions.
  2. Species name lists: Users can define the range of enquiry for three aspects (Population, Taxon, and Region (31 provinces, topographic region, 763 nature reserves)). Once they define the range, the endangered species namelist within the range can be easily obtained. Within the range, users could also define another restriction, such as endangered category, factor of threat, measures taken, recommendations or whether it can be reared and bred, to obtain the sub-namelist.
  3. A scanned picture of every endangered species is or will be available.
  4. Distribution map for every species is or will be available.
  5. Information on bibliography.

Data is still being entered into the system, and the following work is planned:

  1. Extend the scale from endangered species to all vertebrate species.
  2. Include the endangered plant species in CESIS.
  3. Modify the system to enable sharing with international database systems.

Some work has been done on linking CESIS with BIMS. The two systems focus on different fields, and we are currently trying to make them supplement with each other.

2. Biodiversity Information Management System (BIMS)

BIMS is a data management system developed by the Asian Bureau for Conservation (ABC) under support from the World Bank. The software is able to evaluate the status of species and habitats and evaluate the importance of localities and protected areas. It consists of an inter-relational database working over a GIS background. Species become coded to the geographical units, habitat types and altitude limits within which they are found and the GIS is then able to track how much such habitat originally existed, still remains and how much lies within protected areas. The software can create unique distribution maps for each species and overlay all known record points. Habitat maps and maps of protected area systems are also standard outputs. Scanned photos or drawings can be stored for individual species.

At the locality level the software is able to handle inventory and census records as well as management details of individual protected areas and databases on staff and villages. Some analytical tools accompanying the software can compare the species compositions of different areas, perform gap analyses of protected area coverage and show trend data on census records. One advantage of the software is that it is already being used to monitor the conservation status of many of China's neighbouring countries - Pakistan, India, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam so can allow for planning of transfrontier reserves.

A 586 computer, digitizer , scanner, white and black printer, CD-ROM drive and back-up drive have been purchased and installed to house the BIMS database. Two international consultants - Mr. Lewie Dekker and John MacKinnon have spent a total of 10 weeks adapting the software for China and preparing and entering many relevant datasets. The software is already able to run in Chinese language and preliminary datasets have been developed for the protected area system of China, all bird species of China, all mammal species of China and 300 endangered plant species. Work is being continued with assistance from Asian Bureau for Conservation (ABC) and the World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC) in Cambridge, UK. The system still needs a lot of work to complete the GIS background cover of habitat classes but coverages on the protected area system and distribution of remaining forests (based on interpretation of 530 landsat images) have been completed. It is hoped the whole system will be fully operational by the end of the year but the job of data entry and improvement is endless. As an output of the database, it is hoped to produce a status report on all China's mammals by the end of 1997.

II. Water Catchment Studies in Hubei

In order to determine more practically the value of forest cover and biodiversity in a real case study in China, the BWG is conducting field studies in a selected catchment in Hubei Province. The study area was selected to be Xingshan county and part of Shennongjia county since this area still has a reasonably high proportion of forest cover, good variation of landcover types and feeds a series of hydropower units, including the Three Gorges dam for which the values of water catchment benefits have already been calculated by Chinese experts. The project consists of mapping the land-use and vegetation units of the study area, calculating their direct annual production, evaluating their biodiversity importance and assessing their ecological function in terms of soil conservation, water conservation (sponge effect) and carbon sequestration (based on vegetation biomass). The work involves village household interviews, examining county statistics and hydrological records and conducting a number of field measurements in sample plots and selected minor catchments with differing degrees of forest cover. A geographical information system (GIS) has been developed by overlaying maps of vegetation cover, slope category, and soil-type to model the expected water flow and soil loss of each sub-catchment. The model can then be adjusted to predict how soil losses and water flow would be effected by changes in forest cover and what the effects such changes would mean to downstream hydropower station efficiency, agricultural water uses and flood frequency.

Field visits have been started in 1996 and will continue into 1997. Two field visits were made to the study area in Hubei by teams from Wuhan and Beijing to analyse the levels of soil erosion and water holding capacity of different land-units classes.

Xingshan county and Shennongjia nature reserve are well-covered by vegetation with clear vertical zonation of vegetation and soils. Plant and soil specimens were collected in 30 plots representing a wide range of vegetation and soil types on slopes of different steepness. Based on the identification of plant species and the analysis of soil samples including humus and water content, assessment was made of the influence of vegetation, soil type and slope classes on soil erosion and water holding. We also had made 6 artificial rain tests to measure soil erosion and found that the results of the two methods were well corresponded and matched results of other studies in Central China. Principal findings were:

1. Vegetation Cover: The better the cover of vegetation, the more humus the soil and the less severe erosion occurs.


2. Slope: The steeper the slope, the less humus is found in the soil and the more severe erosion occurs.

3. Soil type: Yellow-brown soil had much more humus and water content than mountain brown soil followed by yellow soil and yellowish soil. Soil erosion levels were similar in all soil types examined.

4. Artificial rain tests: Tests were made on various crops, scrub and planted forest. The results show that scrub and artificial forest give almost complete soil protection whilst erosion is greatest on bare cultivated land and varies with slope and degree of crop cover. Observations after heavy rainfall show that cultivation of bare soil increases its water absorption but that when it becomes saturated this can result in serious mud slides.

5. Present water quality of Shennongjia/Xingshan: Water sample were made in 5 points along Xiangxi river. pH values ranged from 6.8-7.0, nitrates and subnitrates were higher the further from the river source and values of CO2 and hardness show the opposite trend.

The results of these experiments can be programmed into the GIS model being developed in the Institute of Zoology, CAS, Beijing for the project.

Preliminary Conclusions

The current high percentage forest cover in the study area results in a crystal clear stream that maintains good flow into the Changjiang River at all times of the year. The installed hydropower within the study area of 50,530 kw is only 23% of the planned future developments. Actual earnings from electricity at the present time amount to only 36 million RMB per year, just 10% of the installed potential but already 17% of the total combined agricultural and forestry production of the county (210 million RMB per year). If efficiency level can be raised to 30% instead of the current 10% and the planned new dams and stations are completed, the county should earn 470 million RMB per year from electricity at current prices. This could allow for a doubling of the standard of living. When the Three Gorges dam fills up about half of all agricultural land in the county will be lost and 100,000 people out of a total resident population of 190,000 people will have to be resettled within the county boundary.

Potential for creating more agricultural areas or developing new economic forests and orchards are limited because of the steep and mountainous conditions of the county. Forestry production also cannot be increased as most of the forests have already been cut and are now in a secondary stage. In this case, by far the easiest way to absorb the resettled people will be to raise the efficiency of hydro-power generation, employ people to protect the secondary forest and allow it to mature rather than open it up for more marginal agriculture (as is currently planned) and gain add-on value to the electricity production by developing user industries to absorb the displaced population. Supply of subsidised electricity to rural residents will reduce their need for collecting fuelwood and therefore also speed up the recovery of secondary forests which will in turn improve the catchment for efficiency of hydropower generation. Currently almost all the rural households interviewed depend on firewood for their main fuel. A clear water lake, forested scenery and improved access to Shennongjia national nature reserve will also add greatly to the tourist potential of Xingshan county.

In this case study, it will be easy to demonstrate that the value of forest in improving waterflow is several times greater that its value for timber production. This optimistic scenario does not include the great benefits that will be felt downstream in the form of added efficiency to Three Gorges dam and Gezhouba dam projects, added flood control, improved Changjiang shipping and increased dry season waterflow to the 100 million agricultural population in the lower Changjiang.

During 1997, we plan to extend the scope of the project to include two additional study areas, one in the grasslands of Qinghai and another in the subalpine forests of Sichuan.

III. Sectoral Workshops

The annual reports of the working group have been highly commended by council members and senior government leaders. However, it has been felt that the working group operates in a rather isolated position and would have a better chance of ensuring that its important recommendations become reflected in sectoral policies, agenda 21 plans and in the government's own 9th 5-year plan if the working group was able to hold a number of detailed workshops with planners from the relevant ministries - Forestry, NEPA, CAS, Agriculture, Aquatic Products and Fisheries. It was therefore planned to hold three meetings in 1996. This idea was greatly supported by the Minister Xu Youfang, Vice-minister of Forestry Mr. Wang Zhibao, MOF and Administrator Xie Zhenghua, NEPA, who is also the Secretary General of CCICED.

With the kind assistance of CCICED Support office in Canada, an EU Grant and support by MOF, NEPA and other governmental agencies concerned, as well as from the CCICED Secretariat, the sectoral workshop on biodiversity conservation was successfully held in Beijing, 8-11 July, 1996. Representatives from MOF over 25 participants, 11 from NEPA, 2 from SPC, 1 from SSTC, 6 from MOA, and 3 from SOA attended the workshop, including many Directors and Section Chiefs representing various bureaus under those agencies with their responsibilities concerning conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. Vice Ministry Wang Zhibao of MOF and Deputy Administer Wang Yuqinq of NEPA attended the workshop in spite of their heavy schedules.

With presentations by officers highlighting their work on biodiversity conservation, and view points by BWG members on different topics in the field of biodiversity, discussions and debates were carried out at the workshop. Various views were presented frankly and cordially, and most of the topics reached consensus at the meeting.

There was a consensus feeling that it is vital to hold more such sectoral workshops in the next phase of BWG's activities. Additional governmental agencies should be invited to the workshop in the future since they are also involved in biodiversity conservation. In particular the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Broadcast, Movie and TV, as well as State Education Commission should be involved to discuss the serious funding shortages for some parts of this work, public education and personnel training, etc.

The two memoranda of conclusions from these meetings are given below:

1. Memorandum between BWG and MOF

In the Forestry Sectoral Meetings held in SAS Hotel, Beijing on 8th and 9th July, 1996, the members of Biodiversity Working Group (BWG) and the team from the Ministry of Forestry (MOF) have enjoyed fruitful discussions and exchange of views on a wide range of biodiversity-related issues in the forestry sector. The BWG members were happy to get a much clearer picture of the current state of affairs and future plans of the MOF. The MOF team were happy to hear the views of the BWG and will seriously consider their valued recommendations in their future planning. The following conclusions and areas of agreement were reached during the meeting. Both sides agree to hold more similar meetings.

1) The role of forestry in China is now realised to be primarily for ensuring environmental protection. The largest proportion of the total forestry budget is now aimed at ecosystem construction and protection and this proportion increases each year.

2) The task of balancing the two roles of production versus protection is a difficult one and one which cannot ignore the real needs of the country and poor local people who live in the forest regions. However, determining a rational balance will depend upon gaining a more accurate picture of the full ecological service values of various types of forest systems and the MOF team welcome the work of BWG in trying to evaluate these values.

3) BWG are greatly impressed by MOF's ambitious and outstanding programme of replanting forest and expanding the forest area in China. MOF accept that generally speaking, mixed forests with native species and broadleaf species provide a better environmental protection and biodiversity conservation than monocultures of conifers or exotic species and are aware that the technical problems of finding the correct species mix and planting techniques to recreate more diverse forests are still not perfected. The ministry team are happy to receive further advice and technical advice of methods of improving the quality of planted forests. MOF will continue to do their own trials and experiments.

4) BWG are happy with the fast-growing and generally well designed system of nature reserves being developed by MOF and their projected plans to further expand this system over the next two decades. Both sides agree that major improvements are still needed in management standards. These weaknesses are partly due to a shortage of technical personnel and management experience but mostly due to a severe shortage of funds. New funding mechanisms need to be developed to ensure that protection staff are adequately paid for their work and given the operational funds necessary to execute their duties.

5) Currently nature reserves are permitted to develop a number of economic activities to make them economically self-sufficient but this sometimes conflicts with their protection duties. Both sides agree that better ways should be found to pay for their continued development and economic activities should not be permitted that are contradictory to the purpose of reserve establishment.

6) It is accepted that as a long-term goal, the logging of primary forests should be halted. However, this cannot be done suddenly and will need a phased approach where alternative wood sources are developed and manpower currently involved in logging of primitive forests are gradually transferred into other units.

7) Secondary forest and scrub which has regeneration potential should not be destroyed to make way for plantations of conifers that provide a lower environmental protection function. These forests should be closed to mature. Additional aerial seeding can enrich naturally regenerating forests.

8) Neither central nor provincial governments are currently able to supply adequate funds for the full costs of forest and species protection, reserve development and forest law enforcement. The benefits from these protection functions are vast but are derived in other sectors such as improved agriculture, reduced flood damage, atmospheric quality, medicines and increased hydropower production. It is essential that a funding mechanism is developed in recompense for those benefits deriving from well protected forests to pay for the protection work.

9) BWG believes there should be better internal coordination within MOF between divisions responsible for nature reserves and forest parks, because under international criteria forest parks are one category of protected area. Both sides believe that there is an increasing need for more collaboration and coordination between MOF and scientific, research and educational agencies and also with other sectors to achieve improved levels of environmental protection, public awareness, education, law enforcement, trade control, database establishment, etc.

10) Both sides recognise a major shortage in trained biologists, systematists and ecologists to undertake the important work of conserving, inventorising and monitoring biological resources in China. A major upgrading of training and manpower development programmes is required from school level to higher education and within the Forestry Ministry's own Wildlife College.

11) Both sides agree that public awareness on the needs for biodiversity conservation in China is growing fast in more economically advanced areas but remains a high priority in less economically developed towns and rural areas. In poverty stricken areas, people will always need to find food before worrying about conservation. Programmes to alleviate rural poverty are urgently needed such as fuelwood plantations, buffer zone projects and community forestry programmes.

12) Both sides recognise that there is a role for the captive breeding of endangered species and some spectacular successes have been achieved in China. However, it is felt that the role of in-situ conservation is the most effective way of preserving a wide range of China's biodiversity and that captive rescue and breeding programmes should only be undertaken within the context of a fully developed species survival strategy. The unnecessary and uncontrolled removal of endangered species from the wild for captive breeding with economic expectations should be strictly banned.

13) Both sides accept that great efforts have been made to regulate and control the illegal trade in endangered species but recognise that considerable problems remain. Better data on the status and distribution are needed to revise endangered species lists. Legal protection needs to be reviewed to include all endangered species, whether valuable or not. Greater controls are needed to regulate the use of endangered species in Chinese medicine. The suggestion was made that no species should be used unless proved that it can be done in a sustainable manner.

14) BWG are happy to learn that in line with the recommendations of State Councilor Song Jian and on the basis of their earlier work, MOF hosted a Wildlife Trade Control meeting in 1995 with delegates from 20 countries and Territories, successfully drafted the Beijing Declaration for improving the control of wildlife trade in the Asian region and have subsequently held bilateral talks with Vietnam and drafted a memorandum to limit and control across the Vietnam border. Both sides recommend extending these negotiations to cover the Laos, Myanmar and other borders with serious wildlife trade problems.

15) Both sides agree that the monitoring of biological resources (including forest resources, wild plants and animals, wetlands, deserts, etc.) is important basic research work for the conservation of biodiversity. There is a need for the government to allocate more funds for this work. Relevant international organisations are also encouraged to give support.

16) Both sides agree that wildlife sometimes causes serious damage to crops. According to the wildlife protection law this damage should be reimbursed by the local government, but in remote rural areas local government often cannot afford to do this. It is recommended that the government set aside special funds for such circumstances.

2. Memorandum of BWG, NEPA and other agencies

Sectoral meetings were held on the 10th and 11th of July 1996 at the SAS Hotel, Beijing between the Biodiversity Working Group (BWG) of CCICED and a team from the National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) together with representatives of the State Planning Committee (SPC), State Science and Technology Commission (SSTC), Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) and State Oceanic Administration (SOA).

Presentations were made on the current biodiversity-related activities and forthcoming plans of the sectoral agencies concerned and by members of the BWG about their particular concerns on a number of topics. Fruitful discussions and exchange of views took place. The BWG members are grateful to learn more about the government's plans for biodiversity conservation in China and the sectoral team were happy to hear the views of the BWG and receive valuable advice on several issues. The following conclusions and areas of agreement were reached during the meetings.

1) The participants agree that environmental public awareness remains a key issue in promoting better protection of the natural environment in China. Agencies already do a lot of information and awareness propaganda but it is felt that a more concerted campaign is needed using the full machinery available to the government and NGO's such as mass media, special pamphlets, seminars and formal education programmes. It was felt that special target audiences should include children and senior government officials and decision makers. In addition as much new educational material must be prepared, teachers must be trained. It is further felt that the idea of starting such a campaign in one selected city or county is a good one to create a model that can be replicated in other parts of the country. All agencies represented at the meeting are willing to play a full role in such a campaign.

2) The participants welcome the emergence of a number of environmental NGO's in China and already provide help and encouragement to such groups. NGO's can tap the great resource of motivated and idealistic youth and general public of the country and could undertake a great deal of grass roots activities that will supplement and stimulate the work undertaken by government agencies.

3) The participants are seriously concerned about the lack of manpower in certain areas particularly taxonomy and systematic and the general weakness of bio-sciences in the Chinese education system. Unless China takes immediate measures to heighten the importance of bio-sciences and provide career incentives for taxonomists, systematists and inventory work there will be major difficulties in managing and benefiting from the country's uniquely rich biological resources. As a specific recommendation biological sciences should be restored as a compulsory exam subject in education programmes and students undertaking environmental courses must be given due credit. More support is needed to promote biodiversity field research, including projects in protected areas by reserve staff.

4) The participants all felt that it was urgently necessary to develop a national biodiversity database and were disappointed that the project to develop a such a database by the SSTC were canceled due to the difficulties of coordination and collaboration. There are already many valiant but scattered efforts underway to establish biodiversity databases and these should be further encouraged by NEPA. It is urgently necessary to establish a metadatabase containing details of which institutes currently hold and are collecting biodiversity information and gradually find ways to make these various data collections available through the Internet and other means of data exchange so that they become bonded into a national network. This network should be linked to international databanks such as the World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC) in UK. There is a clear need for a coordination agency to take the lead in developing this process and it is felt that external donors could be found to fund much of this work. It is China's obligation under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to share biodiversity information globally and a first step must be to find ways to share data internally.

5) The participants wish to see a strengthening of cross sectoral review in biodiversity planning and particularly issues of allocation of land-use and water-use. Single sector ministries are able to make land-use decisions that will have major effects on the productivity of other sectors or have negative effects on biodiversity and the environment. SPC undertake a review of all plans but are inundated by thousands of different plans of different time-scales and there is inadequate review of these plans by other concerned agencies. It is possible that such review may be more effectively carried out at the provincial level, though effects of some activities may often be greatest far downstream in other provinces. Application of environmental impact studies and assessments should be strengthened.

6) The participants applaud NEPA's excellent work in coordinating the production of a Biodiversity Action Plan and a Biodiversity Country Report but feel these still fall short of constituting an implementible national blueprint for action. It was suggested that the next step would be to develop more specific provincial biodiversity action plans for the most important biodiversity provinces.

7) Many of the participants feel that there is a need for a stronger biodiversity authority. NEPA is currently able to act as a coordinator between the many ministries and agencies that relate to the biodiversity conservation programme but does not have the authority to design or commission such a programme. As a result there is duplication between the activities of some ministries and gaps in the biodiversity programme where no sector is active.

8) The participants are concerned that whilst there is clearly massive investment in many areas of China's developing economy it still seems impossible to redirect adequate funding to some areas of biodiversity conservation, particularly protection of vital catchment areas. The government is urged to find ways to redirect appropriate taxes derived from such beneficiary agencies as agriculture, flood relief, hydropower and shipping to the agencies responsible for preserving the hydrological system on which these sectors depend.

9) The participants are alarmed at the degree of threat facing China's rich freshwater fish fauna. The causes of threat are many and complex, including siltation, damming, impoundment, pollution, overfishing and destructive fishing methods. The following actions are needed to limit the threat:

10) The participants applaud the publication of China Ocean Agenda 21 completed by State Oceanic Administration while also noting that marine ecosystems are being threatened by many factors such as pollution, siltation, conversion of mangroves, coral mining, overfishing and other factors. The following measures are urgently needed:

11) Grassland ecosystems cover 40% of China's land areas and are of great importance to the country but are facing severe degradation problems due to overgrazing and, in some areas, eruptions of pest rodents. Participants are concerned that the large-scale pesticide programmes may create long-term damage to the overall health of the ecosystem and overall biodiversity. Rodents are an essential part of healthy grasslands and should not be totally eliminated. Eruption of rodents are indications that overgrazing has already put the ecosystem out of healthy balance.

The participants recommend the following line of procedure to deal with these problems:

12) 11% of the country is used for agriculture to feed over one billion people. These lands contain the most valued products harnessed from biodiversity. Protection of the full range of cultivated and domesticated species is of huge long-term importance. The discarding of older local varieties for new "high-yield" varieties can cause major losses for the future development and improvement of agriculture. Participants are concerned about the following threats to sustained productivity of agricultural systems:

Participants recommend the following actions:

13) The participants greatly welcome the positive and leadership role that China is showing in the implementation of the CBD. China was one of the first countries to ratify the convention, signed the convention at the highest level (prime minister), was among the first countries to complete a biodiversity action plan and country report as requested by convention members. China has also shown great regional leadership in hosting the Beijing Declaration meeting in 1995, at the suggestion of State Councilor Song Jian, to seek ways to limit and control the international trade in wildlife in the Asian region. The participants hope that China will remain visible as a forefront champion of this important convention and feel that such measures as the recent ban on the use of some endangered species ingredients in the manufacture of medicines and a possible ban on logging in the few primary forest patches left in the country are useful for biodiversity conservation as well as a clear demonstration of China's commitment to the letter and sentiments of the convention. The participants felt that China should more actively broadcast news about its environmental achievements internationally.

14) The participants found the exchange of views both stimulating and useful and propose to maintain a more regular dialogue between BWG and the represented sectoral agencies in the future.

IV. BWG Office Development

Constraints have been felt in lack of office facilities, support staff, translation and editing of reports of studies in both English and Chinese. In the past such work has placed undue call on the time of the co-chairs themselves. It is hoped to smooth such support logistics for the group's activities by rental of a dedicated office space in Beijing, purchase of basic computer and communication equipment and hiring of at least one full-time bi-lingual biologist to act as group coordinator.

In 1996, a BWG Office was established in the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, with the financial support of EU and the CCICED Support Office in Canada and assistance from the Institute. Office rented from the institute and necessary facilities were purchased including a computer, telephone and fax machine, as well as a copying machine. These have enabled BWG very much in communication with BWG members and invited experts, governmental agencies and international institutions and also for BWG's activities in 1996 especially for the preparation of the BWG Sectoral Workshop, field project and database development.

SUMMARY OF THE THREE
PREVIOUS YEARS' WORK OF BWG

In 1995 at the 4th annual council meeting of CCICED, the working group presented a report that summarises its first three activities of work. It is not necessary to duplicate this here. However, as this year marks the end of the first phase of CCICED it is proper to give an abbreviated summary of the work carried out over this period, together with some of the principle conclusions of our studies. In total the BWG has commissioned or undertaken studies in ten different fields covering the complete range of biodiversity issues:

I. Biodiversity Evaluation of Products and Services

The group has reported on the extreme wealth of China's Biodiversity. Her natural living resources are ranked as third in the world and first among in the northern hemisphere. These resources provide an enormous range of products but also immensely valuable ecological services that are essential for the healthy development of the Chinese economy, agricultural systems hydrology, and atmospheric stability. In total these services are valued much higher than the direct products and it is felt that planning mistakes where natural ecosystems are destroyed to make way for inferior production systems is due to a widespread lack of appreciation of the ecological service values. The total estimated value of products and services was estimated to be between 257 and 421 $US billion per year. We stated that these were conservative figures and some figures would rise with further development. The table of service value estimates presented in 1995 is reproduced below. Interestingly, in a quite separate study for the production of the national Biodiversity Report for UNEP, a group of Chinese biologists and economists have also calculated that the total annual value of biodiversity products and services in China is in excess of $US 450 billion.

  ($ billions/yr)
Carbon sequestration of forest
Soil and water conservation of forest
Recreation and Tourism
Contribution to agriculture production
Direct harvest of foods from nature
Firewood supply
Medicinal plants/animals
Timber and construction wood
Rattan/bamboo
Wildlife heritage and keystone effect
Fisheries
Contribution to animal husbandry
Carbon sequestration by rangelands
Environmental cleaning services
Total products and services 		140 - 200
20 - 48
20 - 30
6 - 8
5 - 7
5 - 12
5 - 20
8 - 15
4 - 6
4 - 7
15 - 20
4 - 6
7 - 17
14 - 25
$257 - 421 billion

II. Wildlife Trade Studies

Over the past several years, the BWG directed considerable attention to the issue of trade in wildlife, and its impacts on biodiversity in China and neighboring countries. Four preliminary studies were commissioned. The first three surveys with particular reference to trade across the China and Vietnam border were conducted in December 1993, June to July, 1994 and May, 1995, respectively. The last survey was conducted in Sino-Russia border during November-December, 1995. Detailed results of these studies will be made in a separate reports to CCICED. In addition a study was conducted for 12 months to monitor the species for sale in 12 animal markets in Hong Kong, Macao, Shenzhen and Guangzhou. The main conclusion of the reports are as follows:

1. From 1993 and 1994 surveys the wildlife trade a cross the Vietnam/China border was uncontrolled and unregulated by either the Chinese as the Vietnamese authorities. The trade involved 91 species in this particular area, 35 of which were under state special protection in China. 55 were involved in the live animal trade. 39 species were used in food and drink of the 91 species, 38 were found in the cross-border trade.

2. The volume of animals trade was very great in 1994. For example, an estimated twelve tons of tortoises was taken across the border in just one day at one customs post. But this volume was reduced in 1995. Compared with 1994 surveys, the volumes of 1995 were reduced to 22%, 21% and 2% of 1994 levels respectably, in the customs posts of Dong Xing, Ping Xiang and Shuikou. This is partly due to the fact that Chinese government has strengthened the management of wildlife trade and partly due to that wildlife resources have been reduced in Vietnam and the cost of wildlife is increasing.

3. The market studies in southern China, revealed over 400 vertebrate species in trade, including only a few protected species but alarming quantities of reptiles with a twentyfold increase in the import of turtles into Hong Kong over a three year period.

III. Beijing Workshop on the Control of Wildlife Trade in the Asian Region

From 23 to 24 October 1995, the Workshop on the Control of Wildlife Trade in the Asian Region was held and hosted by the Ministry of Forestry of China (MOF) in Beijing. The Workshop was held at the instigation of State Councilor Mr. Song Jian during the second council meeting of CCICED. The call obtained widespread attention and support of the international community. BWG of CCICED have put a lot of effort towards planning the workshop and drafting the BEIJING STATEMENT.

The workshop was attended by the participants from following 20 countries and territories: the Islamic State of Afghanistan, People's Republic of Bangladesh, the Kingdom of Cambodia, People's Republic of China, the Republic of Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, the Union of Myanmar, Mongolia, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Singapore, the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, the Kingdom of Thailand, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and Hong Kong. The meeting was also attended by Mr. Jacques Berney, Deputy Secretary-general of the CITES Secretariat, Ms. Judy Mills, Director of TRAFFIC East Asia and IUCN. Additionally, about 40 representatives from 11 Ministries or Committees and experts, scholars also attended the meeting as observer. Totally, about 70 persons attended the meeting as representatives and observers.

At the opening ceremony on October 23, Mr. Xu Youfang, Minister of MOF, read out the written speech of State Councilor Song Jian. Following, the representative of Japan and Mr. Jacques Berney presented speeches on behalf CITES Standing Committee and CITES Secretariat. The representatives of China, Japan and Thailand were selected as Chairman and vice-chairman of the meeting. At the night of the same day, Minister Xu hosted a welcoming reception banquet.

At the meeting, representatives introduced the efforts related with the trade of wild fauna and flora and experience obtained in the process in each of their countries or territory. The Chinese delegation presented a speech concerning the Chinese Wild Fauna and Flora Conservation and their Trade Control and prepared a written speech with the title of "The Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine Science and the Conservation of Traditional Chinese Medicine Resources". Afterwards, frank and warm discussion focused on the following points: 1). Enforcement Cooperation at the regional and bi-lateral levels; 2). Public Education and Dissemination; 3). Cooperation on the research of substitutes for endangered species in medicinal use; 4). Getting non-party countries in the region to join CITES. Finally, the Beijing Statement on the control of wildlife trade in Asian region was adopted by the meeting consensus.

The representatives believe that the BEIJING STATEMENT is a valuable document. It expresses the common interests of Asian Countries in the area of the Conservation of resources of wild fauna and flora, illegal trade control, the goal to achieve sustainable development and the wish to develop international cooperation. It is bound to produce deep and widespread impacts to the conservation of wild fauna and flora in Asian region and is a worthy mile-stone of Asian countries starting their own cooperation on the control of illegal trade of wild fauna and flora.

As a follow-up and complimentary action of the workshop stated above, from 19 to 20, December 1995, the MOF of P. R. China jointed with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Former Ministry of Forestry) of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to hold a consultant meeting on joint prevention and control of illegal trading wildlife along the border in Nanning City. After both sides introduced its own issues related to wildlife conservation and available information about wildlife smuggling along boundary, a panel discussed the control measures which should take place. At the end of the meeting, the Sino-Vietnamese Working Group singed the Minutes of the Panel Discussion on Forestry Cooperation.

IV. Evaluation of in-situ Conservation

Coupled with BWG meetings in Hainan, Nanning and Mudanjiang city, the participants visited several protected areas and exchanged views on a number of issues. Although much attention is being paid to reserve establishment in China and considerable progress is made in this respect, there still exists some problems which require further improvements.

1. Hainan: Hainan Island is endowed with rich biodiversity but is facing severe pressure from drastic economical development. The existing 78 natural reserves, most often set up with only small patches of habitat confront the problems of logging, hunting, reduction in size and shortage in funds - their potential value has been seriously diminished. The two reserves of Bangwangling and Jianfengling are encircled in tiny patches by forest production areas, far from adequate size to preserve the remaining gibbons and other rich tropical species for which they were established. These areas as a whole should be linked up to a larger protected area with clear designation of core zone and experimental areas under comprehensive production management. Ecotourism in reserves are necessary only if it is conducted on the basis of comprehensive planning, which are not the case in reserves such as Wuzhishan, Nanwan, Qingpilin, etc.

There is a need to build the economic zone of Hainan - one of the few tropical regions in China - into a demonstration area of harmonious relationship between environment and development and coexistence between nature and modernization. BWG members feel it necessary to link up Jianfengling, Diaoluoshan, Bawangling, Wuzhishan and their adjacent areas into a biodiversity conservation region as required in China Agenda 21 to achieve the principles of conservation and sustainable use laid down by Convention of Biological Diversity. In so doing, the potential of various economic species in this region can be greatly mobilized while the shortcomings of large-sized aforestation of exotic species such as Eucalyptus may be avoided. The plan would also greatly enhance the value of the area for tourism. The potential advantage of this can also be tapped in such coastal reserves as Dongzaigang, Qinglangang, Qingpilin and Nanwan through joint management and overall planning.

2. Guangxi: BWG members visited several protected areas set up in the outskirts of Nanning like Damingshan in Wuming County, Longhushan in Long-An and Fusui Reserve and were impressed by their effective management that achieves the goals of conservation, research, education, development and ecotourism. There is still a need in these reserves for resources, raised management capacity and better planning. A key project was recommended for overall planning and development.

3. Heilongjiang: BWG visited 3 nature reserves, Mudanfeng, Jingpohu and Xingkaihu. In spite of the notable achievements being made in protection and development in Mudanfeng, BWG members recommended it be developed into a National Park of Mudanjiang City for a better contributions to the city. As a reserve of national park status, Jingpohu still needs rehabilitation and restoration of large secondary forest ecosystem. Xingkaihu reserve was recommended to be jointly operated with Russia as a Trans-frontier Protected Area.

V. Investigation on ex-situ Conservation of Animals in China

There are about 40 formal zoos, including 28 large-scale ones in major cities. In addition, about 100 or more wildlife breeding centres have been established in China. In recent years, the establishment of Wildlife Safari Parks has become more and more popular in some municipalities and famous tourism areas.

Generally the record of China's zoos is not good - animals are poorly maintained, have a poor breeding success, serve little educational function and constitute a drain on wild populations. Many zoos are in debt and unable to cover their operation costs.

From the viewpoint of biodiversity conservation, there is still too much to be done for these captive breeding facilities to achieve the role of ex-situ conservation. The level of administration or management to these captive populations of wildlife, normally fails to provide suitable animals to re-introduction to strengthen endangered wild-populations. The plan of the establishment of wildlife safari parks and other captive breeding facilities are mostly made out of commercial considerations and are not aimed at conservation. Consequently, large negative impacts have been produced.

China lacks a unifying strategy and plan for ex-situ conservation and lacks a coordinating authority that could implement such a plan. BWG suggest that the competent authorities should draft a unifying ex-situ Conservation Strategy of Wildlife of China on the lines of IUCN's World Zoo Strategy as a comprehensive or overall program and also to establish an effective cooperation and coordination mechanism. The wildlife captive breeding facilities which are mis-directed and ones that have produced negative impacts on biodiversity should be closed down or re-structured with new aims.

VI. Review of ex-situ Conservation of Plants in China

The BWG commissioned Prof. Xu Zaifu, Director of Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden to conduct a survey to assess the effectiveness of ex-situ conservation of plant resources in China. The review shows that a total of 120 botanical gardens in the country currently hold 18,000 or 65% of the entire known higher flora of the country as well as important collections of economic plants and special genera. In terms of holding ex-situ collections of endangered plants, the survey reveals that 332 (85%) of the 389 species on the first list of China's endangered plants and 154 (25%) of the 640 species included in the second list of endangered plants are already cultivated in collections. This is still a long way short of the goals laid out in the China Agenda 21 and China's Biodiversity Action Plan to maintain adequate examples of all China's endangered species in several different gardens. Even the species now maintained are mostly immature plants, maintained in too few gardens or represented by only a few specimens.

The paper points out that a lot more work needs to be done and that this will need special funding because it is quite uneconomical work, outside the normal duties of these institutions. In addition there is a need for some kind of coordination and monitoring agency to supervise the ex-situ programme and determine which species are still inadequately represented in collections. Special training will be required in many of the botanical gardens to do this work and systems of data exchange need to be developed between the different botanical gardens both within China and internationally.

VII. Evaluations of the Impacts of Traditional Chinese Medicine on Wildlife

In order to evaluate the effect of traditional Chinese medicine on wildlife, the BWG initiated a survey of wildlife parts in medicinal use in six of the eight major medicinal material markets in China together with visits to a number of medicine manufacturers. Questionnaires are also sent to provincial forestry bureaus, medicine manufacturers and medicine material trading companies to further collect information on selected species with respect to their breeding, annual average need and amount of materials purchased in the period of 1990-1995. The following findings are made:

1. The impact of TCM on wildlife is by no means negligible based on the observed frequency of occurrence, needs of medicine manufacturers and price fluctuations of wildlife parts in visited markets. Species mostly affected include pangolins, musk deer and some snake species, the price of which has sprung up in the last five years by as much as 5-15 times, an obvious indication of paucity of species both in markets and in the wild. The need of several snake species for medicine is also staggering, particularly expressed by the recent development of new medicines where tons of snake bladders are used annually by one single factory.

2. A number of species imported from neighboring countries including Vietnam, Burma and Thailand are also found in nearly all visited markets, such as geckos, snakes, hawksbill turtles and some other turtle species, which are all under control in line with current international trade regulations by Chinese Management Authority for CITES.

3. Law enforcement both within and out of markets appears to be far from adequate. Currently two laws govern among other activities, the purchase, selling and use of animal parts of medicinal value, namely the Wild Animals Protection Law and Regulations on the Conservation of Wild Animals of Medicinal Value. Of the six markets visited, species protected under these two laws were found in all but one market. Furthermore, medicine manufacturers also directly engage in the purchasing of medicines, an activity that should only be done by state-authorized companies. Private enterprises' direct involvement in trading medicinal parts has maintained a strong competition with state companies and more often than not runs counter to relevant laws. Additionally, the inspection of markets is usually carried out by several departments other than the forestry bureau, who is the state authorized agency to monitor the trade of wild animals and their parts.

4. Contrary to the claims of senior TCM officials, there is a strong lack of conservation awareness among the general medicine community, particularly at the grass roots level. This was evidenced by the low response of questionnaires from medicine manufacturers and trading companies, even if this project is actively supported by State TCM Administration. There appears to be a strong resentment among some medicine manufacturers on the ban of tiger and rhino horns, which in turn make them more disinclined to accepting the philosophy of sustainable use.

VIII. Ecosystem Restoration Studies

BWG members have been actively engaged in studies of Ecosystem Restoration in both forests and grasslands of China.

1. Forest ecosystems

Forest covers 10% of China's land surface and the benefits of forest not only come from timber production but from many ecological functions of forest which total many billions of $US per year. The forest ecosystems are severely degraded due to over-harvest of timber, improper species used for reforestation, agricultural encroachment, man-made fires, poaching of wildlife, uncontrolled tourism, pollution etc.

Several conservation actions are suggested by our studies:

2. Grassland ecosystems

China's grasslands and alpine meadows cover about two thirds of entire country. The grasses, together with both wild and domestic animals have survived together for centuries and their conservation and sustainable use are very important for human welfare. However overgrazing, agricultural encroachment, overhunting and rodent poisoning programmes are all critical problems causing degradation of the grassland ecosystem. A number of conservation strategies are proposed:

IX. The status of the Endangered Freshwater Fishes in China and Analysis of Causes

According to 3 year's investigation and accumulation of data for freshwater fishes in China, we evaluated the status of endangered freshwater fishes, and with many references, we analysed the main reasons which lead these fishes to be in danger.

The freshwater fishes in China are about 900 species. And among them, about 70% are cyprinid fishes, also there are a great numbers of endemic and precious groups, with many monotypic genera and monotypic species. In the recent several decades, many of these became endangered or even extinct. Our preliminary studies reveal that 92 species (or 10% of all species) of Chinese freshwater fishes are in endangered. Among theses are: cyprinid fishes 52 species, catfishes 11 species, sturgeon 5 species, salmons 6 species and others 18 species. The degree of threat is classed into 4 grades: extinct, rare, endangered and threatened. In Chinese freshwater fishes, 4 species are extinct, 23 species are rare, 28 species are endangered and 37 species are threatened. The following are the chief causes of endangerment to the freshwater fishes in China:

X. Marine Ecosystems

None of the members of the Working Group are experts on the marine environment. However, one of the co-chairs has commissioned four studies of the marine situation under WWF funding by Catherine Cheung, namely:

1. Surveys of the marine environment of Hainan island
2. Surveys of the marine coastline of southern China
3. Surveys of the marine environment of Taiwan
4. Marine conservation chapter in a review of China's Protected Areas.

The situation of the marine environment is critical with depleted fisheries, loss of mangroves, damage to coral reefs and over-harvesting of many species as serious problems. Many of the marine problems are caused by siltation and pollution from rivers and coastal developments.

On the basis of these reports, the BWG has proposed various recommendations to improve the conservation of marine resources.

XI. Publications

During the first phase of CCICED, 1992 - 96, a number of projects concerning those important and urgent current items in biodiversity conservation in China have been conducted or organized by the group, and preliminary reports on those selected topics with recommendations concerned were completed, namely:

As planned, all the reports together with BWG's annual reports to the Council are going to be printed and distributed to the relevant and concerned institutions.


FUTURE PLANS OF
THE BIODIVERSITY WORKING GROUP

In an effort at self-evaluation, members and associates of the BWG attending the working group meeting of 12th July were asked to complete a questionnaire on the performance of BWG over the past four years. There was very little variation among the responses. It was felt that BWG had indeed been useful for China but could have done more if there had been more funds available and the working group had been slightly larger. It was felt that the government had not yet taken the recommendations of the BWG as seriously as members would have wished, though the members were greatly heartened by the success of the sectoral meetings in 1996 and felt that this was the best way to ensure that views of the BWG do feed directly into the government planning and policy. It was felt that the international members of the group had not been able to contribute as much time as was really needed to the group's activities. Some of the BWG's members have changed their jobs to leading positions in important international organizations, such as UNDP/GEF's Biodiversity, WCMC's Director, CAS's Vice President, making it difficult for them to be involved in BWG's activities though they have remained much interested in BWG's work.

On a technical basis, members felt it was correct that the group had maintained a broad and disperse programme as all areas of biodiversity are too important to ignore. Members felt that there was still a lot of important work to be done by the group and wanted to see an expansion of activities in the future to include more work on freshwater and marine biodiversity and studies in sustainable utilisation. BWG members indeed felt that there should be two dealing with both natural and agro-biodiversity separately rather than one biodiversity working group in any future CCICED and that would allow a higher level of focus and detail in their work. It was also felt that the international membership should be carefully reformed to represent both the major international conservation agencies but also scholars familiar with and active in China. People who met both criteria would be ideal.

On the basis of these results and a discussion session held in the BWG annual meeting, the following proposals are put forward for the future work programme of the group.

1. Continue the studies on biodiversity values and services in selected ecosystems of China by completing the current study in the subtropics of Hubei province and adding two more study sites --- one in the alpine ecosystems of Qinghai Province and one in the biodiversity-rich sub-alpine forests of Sichuan. The latter would be a suitable area for cooperation with the proposed work of the accounting and pricing working group under Norwegian funding.

2. Continue development of the biodiversity database, open links with other databases in China, especially the endangered plants database and CBIS project of Institute of Botany, the field survey research and database of Kunming Institute of Zoology and the biodiversity databases being developed by Ministry of Forestry under the GEF Biodiversity B project.

3. Continue the newly started studies on evaluating the impacts of Traditional Chinese Medicine on wild flora and fauna. There is possibility of obtaining Dutch funding to extend this work in partnership with Institute of Botany.

4. Initiate studies in sustainable development around a selected nature reserve in an effort to promote the development of the "biodiversity region" concept in China. One of the international member, Dr. Steven Edwards, head of the Sustainable Use Program of IUCN, has submitted a tentative proposal on this issue. It is considered to be reasonable to establish a sub-working group dealing with the issue and closely working with IUCN's Sustainable Use Program and SSC's Specialist Group as partnerships.

5. Commission studies to develop baseline biodiversity data for future monitoring the condition of freshwater and marine ecosystems in China. BWG will need to find new experts in these two fields.

6. Hold regular meetings with sectoral agencies to maintain the useful dialogue initiated by the working group in the sectoral meetings of 1996. In addition to the sectors involved in 1996's meeting, more sectors should be invited, especially the Ministry of Finance, State Education Commission, Ministry of Broadcast, Movie and TV, etc. to suggest improvements to programs of biodiversity conservation, financial shortages for protection work, personnel training and public awareness.

7. It was suggested that rather than initiate any new studies into the state of in-situ conservation in China, the working group could usefully be asked to review the ongoing GEF biodiversity B project to advise on the success of newly developing innovative models for in-situ conservation in China.

8. In recognizing the lack of any unifying action plan or of a coordinating agency to supervise ex-situ conservation at the national level, BWG would like to organise one international zoo to adopt one Chinese zoo and raise its management procedures and breeding programme and education programme to create a model zoo for other Chinese zoos to emulate.

9. BWG has continued to stress the need for a concerted public awareness campaign. Although not qualified to undertake such a campaign the members are keen to give information, other materials, interviews etc. to assist in any such campaign.

Thanks to a grant from the European Union, the BWG has enough funding to continue its work and carry out items 1, 2 and 6 above for another 2 years. Additional funding would need to be found to undertake items 3, 4 and 5. Item 7 would not entail any large-scale costs if Ministry of Forestry invite BWG to review the project. Items 8 and 9 would not be costed under BWG's own activities.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

BWG members all agreed that they had enjoyed their participation on the working group. Thanks are largely due to the great support the group has had over the past years. Particular thanks are due to the national CCICED secretariat and the CCICED support programme in Canada for their friendship, help and financial support over the four year period. The group wish to thank WWF for supporting the work of the international co-chairman. The group are extremely grateful to the CCICED support office in Canada who have provided extra funds for the work-programme of the group in 1996 and the European Union who have given a grant to support the group's activities over the period 1996-8.