Study On The Nature Reserve System Of Giant Panda (Ailuropoda Melanoleuca)

The Research targets are the China giant panda nature reserves. Through thecomprehensive analysis on the giant panda protection measures and nature reservemanagement, the research assesses the current status, experience and lesson learnedand issues identified in the existing 56 giant panda nature reserve;elaborates theimportant roles and functions of the giant panda nature reserve in China naturereserve development as a whole. Following the above analysis, the academic researchhas been further carried out on gap analysis based on filed work and analytical workon the information and data collected. As a result, the author proposed a concept,overall development strategy and framework including the implementation plan, aswell as the measures to tackle the issues and obstacles for the improvement of Chinagiant panda nature reserve management system. The main findings are briefed asbelow:1. The research summarizes the progress made in China giant panda protectionresearch work over past decades. Up to now, there are 1596 wild giant pandas livingin Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu giant panda nature reserves (the nature reserve).Compared with the 1980s, the population of giant panda has increased, the scope ofits habitat has been expended and the habitat conditions have been improved. Thenumber of captive giant pandas has reached to 163. The research elaborates thedevelopment process of the nature reserve, analyzes the positive impacts to the giantpanda population increase and its habitat protection by building up and managing thenature reserve;assesses the structural function and corridor role and the managementmechanism of the nature reserve. Seven management models have been identifiedfrom the nature reserves. For instance, Wolong Nature Reserve in Sichuan Provincepresents one model. Based on the analysis, the research develops the appropriatemodels for the nature reserve management system and development.2. Through the gap analysis on the structure, layout and location, appropriatescope, bamboo growth, and institutional capacity of the nature reserve, as well as thedevelopment of the communities surrounding the nature reserve, the research assessesthe benefits of the nature reserve brought to the protection of giant panda populationand its habitat, as well as the existing issues and weakness of the nature reservemanagement system. The analysis indicates that among 56 nature reserves, about 21%of nature reserves have the relative better conditions of infrastructure andmanagement means. The institutions have made good contribution in improving giantpanda protection;about 43% nature reserves only can maintain the regular workbecause the lack of funding for the necessary infrastructure construction and capacitybuilding;and about 36% nature reserves were established in recent years and the greatsupport are needed from the Government.3. Based on the analysis on the current status of the nature reserve and theacademic research carried out, two innovative concepts (theories) are proposed as thefollowing: (1) the concept of "group and corridor of giant panda nature reserve". Ithas the feature of "large scope", which consists of a number of nature reserves andforms a large area nature reserve group. It also has the feature of "net", which consistof a number of giant panda corridors and form a giant panda nature reserve net.Building up the Group/Corridor will contribute to stabilize the population anddiversify the genetic variation of giant panda, as well as resist the intervention of thehuman activities to giant panda habitat;(2) considering giant panda nature reserveGroup/Corridor as a management unit of the protected area. It is proposed that theGroup/Corridor will be classified as strictly protected area, research area, operationarea and entertainment area. The strictly protected area should be one third or twofifths of the total protected area.4. As a result of the research, the giant panda nature reserve developmentstrategy and framework are proposed as the following: (a) the main developmentobjective is to integrated protect the giant panda population and its habitat;(b) toconnect the existing giant panda nature reserves, forming a giant panda nature reservegroup with the relative large area and then, to build up the corridor to connect thenature reserve group, establishing the integrated giant panda nature reserve net withlarge protected area and integrated conservation functions;(c) to draw great attentionon strengthening the nature reserve management and improving its performance toestablish the innovative giant panda nature reserve management system, which willfully take into consideration of the circumstance of China.5. The research further proposes the long-term and short-term developmenttargets and implementation plan for the nature reserve management systemimprovement.(1) The long-term nature reserve development strategy is to establish the giantpanda nature reserve group/corridor with relative large area in six Cordillera, whereare the giant panda's main habitats, to improve the management of the nature reserve.It will fundamental stabilize the wild giant panda population, effectively protect itshabitat and promote its propagation.(2) The short-term nature reserve development targets are: (a) to improve thenational giant panda nature reserve development layout and the design of its habitatconservation;(b) to speed up the establishment of new nature reserve, reaching toabout 70 with area of 3.3 million hectares by 2015 and then to connect the existingnature reserve, building up a number of the nature reserve groups and corridors;(c) toimplement the policy of compensating the ecological forests management within thenature reserve to mobilize more funding for the nature reserve management;(d) tobuild up the demonstration nature reserves to explore the management anddevelopment models and demonstrate the best practice;(e) to enhance theco-management approaches to enable nature reserves and surrounding communitiesworking together to effectively protect the nature resources and in the same time toimprove the livelihoods of the local farmers.(3) The implementation plan is mainly focus on: (a) to establish 24 new giantpanda nature reserves, forming several nature reserve groups;(b) to establish 11corridors between the key giant panda habitats;(c) to strengthen 23 giant panda naturereserve demonstration programs;(d) to integrate the administrative agencies andestablish the new management system based on the nature reserve group's needs;(e)to establish the monitoring system for the giant panda nature reserves;and (f) todevelop the co-management plans between nature reserve and surroundingcommunities to realize the sustainable nature resource management and communitydevelopment.