| The concept of High Conservation Value Forest (HCVF) was proposed initially by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The FSC considered that every forest had certain environmental, social, and economic values, forest with significant and critical environmental, societal, and economic values can be defined as HCVF. According to this definition, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) developed HCVF identification toolkit for the purpose of recognizing the value of forests with protecting biodiversity importance, with special ecological significance, with high historical-cultural values, and with critical economic income sources for the locals to manage the forest in order to maintain or enhance their values.This study was conducted on the basis of referring to the existing international and domestic latest research results. According to the current forest status in Beijing mountain areas, using WWF's HCVF identification toolkit, the types of HCVF in Beijing mountain areas were identified. Firstly, HCVFs were redefined and classified into 3 types, i.e. HCVF for biodiversity conservation, HCVF for ecological service functions, and HCVF for social and cultural service functions. Secondly, according to the specific function, the 3 types of HCVF were further reclassified into 13 sub-types. The HCVF for for biodiversity conservation was divided into 3 sub-types, i.e. HCVF at species scale, HCVF at landscape scale and HCVF at special ecosystem scale. The HCVF for ecological service functions was divided into 6 sub-types, i.e. HCVF for drinking water sources protection, HCVF for water conservation, HCVF for soil erosion control, HCVF for debris flow control, HCVF for farmland protection and HCVF for carbon storage. HCVF for the social and cultural service function was divided into 4 sub-types, HCVF for around villages, HCVF along roads, HCVF around recreation sites and HCVF in forest parks.This paper identifies, maps, and determines the distributions and areas of Beijing HCVF with remote sensing and GIS techniques through the supports of some specific forest plans, relevant policies and regulations and various thematic maps. Different identification methods were used for different HCVF types, more details are as follows:(1) Biodiversity HCVFs identification: species diversity HCVF was based on the existing forest maps for each of 19 nature reserves in the mountain areas of Beijing; landscape level HCVF was defined with spatial scan statistics for 20 contiguous forested landscapes in Beijing; special ecosystems HCVF was determined by classifying the protected districts as rare and endangered ecosystems and highlighted the forests within the districts;(2) Preventing function HCVFs were classified with buffer analysis, existing data extrapolation, critical slope identification, watershed-based debris flow risk classification, farmland shelterbelt delineation and biomass-based carbon storage estimation,the 6 sub-types of preventing function HCVFs were identified.(3) Social and cultural HCVF was defined within certain distances to the locations of residential areas, roads, forest parks and recreation sites according to the subject maps of villages distribution, roads distribution, location of forest parks and recreation sites.(4) Delphi method was used to determine the weight for each sub-type of the HCVFs and HCVFs were evaluated comprehensively and reclassed with priority.(5) After sorting the 3 types and 13 sub-types of the HCVF, the HCVF in Beijing was prioritized into 3 levels. Level-I was extremely HCVF, Level-II was relatively HCVF and Level III was moderately HCVF. To emphasize the importance of HCVF, this paper assigns Levels I and II HCVF as priority of HCVF.The identification results are: the total area of identified HCVF was 384,247 ha, accounting for 77.30% of total forest area in Beijing mountainous region. The area of Level-I HCVF was 2,662 ha, accounting for 0.69% of the total HCVF and 0.52% of the total forest area; the area of Level-II HCVF was 80,327 ha, accounting for 20.91% of the total HCVF and 16.16% of the total forest area; and the area of Level-III HCVF was 301,257 ha, accounting for 78.40% of the total HCVF and 60.60% of the total forest area. The priority of HCVF: its total area was 82,989 ha, accounting for 21.60% of total HCVF area and 16.70% of total mountain area in Beijing。From the forest species construction perspective, the dominant forest for the three levels of HCVF was broadleaved forest. From the forest origin perspective, the dominant forest for Levels I and II HCVF was natural forest whereas that for Level III was planted forest. From geographical distribution perspective, Level I HCVF was distributed mainly in Miyun County: its area was 1,450 ha, accounting for 54.47% of total Level I HCVF. Level II HCVF was distributed mainly in Minyun and Yanqing County: its area was 32450 ha in Miyun and 17,558 ha in Yanqing, accounting for 40.40% and 21.86% of total Level II HCVF respectively. Level III HCVF was distributed mainly in Huairou and Miyun Counties: its area was 65,367 ha in Huairou County and 65,121 ha in Miyun County, accounting for 21.70% and 21.62% of total Level III HCVF in each case.This paper also summarizes protection and management status of each type of HCVF, discusses the existing problems and challenges, and proposes strategies and suggestions for managing HCVF to maintain and enhance the value of forest as important references of management and investment activities for governmental organizations and different levels of forestry units in Beijing.This paper is the first time to use the concept of HCVF for forest protection and management in the Beijing mountainous region. It sets standards for HCVF identification in Beijing. It also deals with HCVF types, distribution, and areas in Beijing. HCVF in Beijing is clearly distinguishable from the ordinary ecological forests. It provides scientific evidence for government to develop forest protection and management strategies. It has certain significance for theoretical guidance and practicing value.
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