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1. Project Summary and Relationship to China's Agenda 21

The purpose of this project is for the restoration, reconstruction and afforestation of the mangrove and coral reef ecosystems. The ultimate goal is to avoid and mitigate the decrease of living resources caused by the destruction of mangrove and coral reef ecosystems along the coastal area in southern China. The project will promote the social and economic sustainable development of these coastal regions. The successful implementation of this project can serve as a model for the protection and restoration of the coastal ecosystem for the world.

This project is based on programme area 14F of China's Agenda 21, and is related to programme areas 2A, 2B, 14A, 14B, 14D and 14E.

2. Background

The mangrove and coral reef ecosystems are among the most diverse and complex ecosystems in the world. The mangrove plants living in the Chinese coastal areas belong to the India-Western Pacific Oriental system. This area contains 36 species of mangrove plants accounting for 43 percent of the total number of species in the world. Over 2000 species of marine organisms are found in the mangrove ecosystem. The coral reefs in the seas along the southern Chinese coast are located in the north edge of the India-Western Pacific coral reef system. There live 200 species and subspecies of polyps, accounting for one-third of the India-Western Pacific fauna. The mangrove and coral reef ecosystems are an important component of the coastal and marine ecosystem in southern China. They play an important role in preventing the waves and protecting the shore, mitigating marine disasters, reclaiming land along the coast, providing raw materials for industry and agriculture, increasing tourism and water resources, purifying the atmospheric and marine environment and mitigating the "greenhouse" effect. The comprehensive value of the mangrove and coral reef ecosystems in marine life productivity, ecological environment, economy, society, and culture is profound for all the nations in the world. Special international research institutions have been established to promote and provide guidelines for effective conservation and research on mangrove and coral reef ecosystems. The mangroves in China live mainly along the coast south of Fujian province. The largest area once covered by these reefs exceeded 250,000 hectares. By the 1950's, only 50,000 hectares remained from the original reefs, and currently only 15,000 hectares are left. China's coral reefs are mainly distributed along the coast of Hainan island. Due to the plundering excavation and low efficient utilisation during the last two decades, 80 per cent of the coral reefs along the coast of Hainan island have been destroyed. Some species of coral reefs have disappeared. The rapid degeneration of the two ecosystems has caused severe destruction to the marine biological diversity and marine resources and deterioration of the ecological environment. It has reduced the capability of the marine disasters prevention and threatened the livelihood and safety of life and property of the people. And it will obviously hinder the rapid development of coastal industries like agriculture, fishing and marine industries. This project will take effective measures to strengthen conservation, restoration, reconstruction and afforestation of the mangroves and coral reefs to expand the area of the mangrove and coral reef resources. This will protect and improve the environment, and promote the sustainable development of the economy in the coastal regions.

Conservation and management of the mangrove and coral reef ecosystems will play a tremendous role in disaster prevention and mitigation along the coastal provinces in southern China. It will also promote the protection of marine biodiversity and sustainable development of the fisheries. This project has been included in the Ninth Five-Year Plan and the Outline of Plan of Ecological Construction for 2010. It occupies an important position in the economic development strategy at the national, local and sectional levels. As an implementation department, the State Oceanic Administration possesses considerably strong research, monitoring and management force. In order to protect the existing mangrove and coral reefs, many natural reserves at the national and local levels have been established, and a leading group for conservation of the mangrove ecosystem has been established. This group consists of members from the State Oceanic Administration, the State Planning Commission, the State Science and Technology Commission, the National Environmental Protection Agency, the State Education Commission, the Chinese Academy of Sciences as well as the departments concerned in the coastal provinces and the autonomous regions.

3. Objectives

3.1 Long-term Objective

The long term objective of this project is to establish a preventive belt with mangrove and coral reef along the coast of southern China and construct a highly productive mangrove and coral reef eco-system to promote the development aquiculture and sustainable utilisation of marine resources, thus improve the quality of daily life of the local people and environment around them, and guarantee sustainable development of the regional economy.

3.2 Immediate Objectives

• Within the framework of integrated coastal zone management, establish an integrated management regime for sustainable development of the mangrove and coral reef ecosystems at the national, provincial (autonomous region) and municipal (county) levels that would carry out legal management of the mangrove and coral reef ecosystems;
• Enhance the capability of protection, restoration, reconstruction, afforestation and management of the mangrove and coral reef ecosystems in China. Restore, re-establish and plant 20,000 ha. of mangrove trees in the tideland suitable for afforestation along the coast of south China;
• Make a thorough investigation of the distribution of the mangrove in the Chinese coastline, establish coral reef reserves and special protected areas, restore the productivity of the coral reef areas by increasing 50 percent of the fish stock in the reserves and the special protected areas.

4. Outputs and Activities

4.1 Establishment of the system for conservation and management of the mangroves and coral reefs

• Establish committees or corresponding agencies for the management and conservation of the mangrove and coral reef ecosystems at national, provincial and municipal levels;
• Formulate the relevant laws, regulations and policies for conservation of the mangrove and coral reef ecosystems;

Monitoring Indicators: regulation and legislation for the protection of mangrove and coral reefs, establishment of special agencies for the management and implementation of these regulations.

Implementing Agencies: the State Oceanic Administration, the National Environmental Protection Agency, the State Planning Commission, the State Science and Technology Commission, and the local governments concerned in the coastal areas.

Time Schedule: January 1997 - December 1998

4.2 Collection and processing of the basic data of China's mangrove and coral reef ecosystems

• Form a temporary work group to collect and edit research literature and original materials, experiences and data on the conservation and management of mangroves and coral reefs at home and abroad, and make a comprehensive analysis and evaluation for editing and publishing;
• Make a thorough investigation on the present status of the mangrove and coral reef ecosystems in China. This will include a study of the biological species, the geographical elements and their distribution;
• Establish the basic information, database and management information system of the mangrove and coral reef ecosystems of China. The system mainly comprises of the remote sensing images of mangroves and coral reefs, database of physical and geographical environment and social-economic environment of the mangrove and coral reef areas, and database of the pictures of the species of the mangrove and coral reef ecosystems.

Monitoring Indicators: publication of the comprehensive investigation report on the resources and environment of the mangrove and coral reef ecosystems in China and establishment of the above-mentioned database and management information system.

Implementing Agencies: the State Oceanic Administration, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the State Education Commission, and the local governments concerned in the coastal areas.

Time Schedule: January 1997 - December 2000

4.3 Establishment of demonstration areas for ecological conservation and restoration

• Set up technical experiment stations in Hainan and Guangxi to study and develop the technology in diversified cultivation, transplant, seedlings and rapid growth of mangroves and coral reefs, and provide technical support to the development of mangrove and coral reef ecosystems;
• Establish demonstration areas for conservation, restoration and reconstruction of the mangrove ecosystem: select representative river estuaries, harbours, island groups, wide shores, tidal zone and bare tideland with different niches in Guangxi and Hainan to take various technological measures and methods of management to plant a total area of 250 hectares of demonstration forest;
• Establish demonstration areas for the conservation of coral reef ecosystems: select Sanya national natural reserve (at Hainan province) to build up a protection demonstration area, and select different niches in the representative island groups and open shore water areas to plant and restore a total area of 150 hectares of coral reefs. This will provide technology and management standards for large-scale coral transplant;

Monitoring Indicators: technical support methods for coral reefs and mangroves conservation and restoration; Completion of the technical experiment stations at the local level, 250 hectares of demonstration areas for mangrove restoration; afforestation of 250 hectares of demonstration area for restoration of mangroves; 150 hectares of coral reef.

Implementing Agencies: the State Oceanic Administration and the local governments in the coastal regions.

Time Schedule: January 1997 - December 2000

4.4 Building of the "Green Wall" of mangroves which can resist wind and tide along the southern Chinese coast

• Formulate the general planning for constructing the "green wall" of mangroves;
• Establish five tree nurseries with a total area of 10 hectares;
• Restore 20,000 hectares of secondary mangrove forests ( tentatively planned 7,000 hectares in Hainan, 7,000 hectares in Guangxi, 5,000 hectares in Guangdong and 1,000 hectares in Fujian);
• Develop the sustainable utilisation products of the resources of the mangrove and coral reef ecosystems, develop ecological cultivation and fishery resources cultivation, promote eco-tourism, utilise tannic acid attracted from mangrove trees, and develop marine biological medicine and health materials.

Monitoring Indicators: provision of 50 million mangrove young trees per year, restoration of 20,000 hectares of mangrove trees, three to four shelter belts of mangrove forest, development of three to four marine biological medicines and health materials.

Implementing Agencies: the Ministry of Forestry, the State Oceanic Administration, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the State Education Commission and the local governments concerned in the coastal regions.

Time Schedule: January 1997 - December 2006

5. Inputs

5.1 Chinese Inputs

The Chinese inputs include planning, project management, salary of the scientists and administrative personnel, transportation cost, instruments for experiment, data and information, and part of the expenses on investigation, development, popularisation and training.

5.2 International Inputs

International support include exchanging experiences on conservation and management of the mangrove and coral reef ecosystems, inviting international experts and training technical personnel of investigation and management, technology of cultivation and comprehensive and sustainable utilisation of the mangrove trees, establishing a mangrove resources bank and mangrove ecosystem information system, funding the construction of a demonstration area and large-scale afforestation.

5.3 Budget

The total capital needed for this project is US$ 34.9 million. The Chinese partners will raise US$ 22.6 million from domestic sources, while foreign aid and investment will cover the other US$ 12.3 million.

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Table 1. Budget by Item (in million US dollars)

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Table 2. Budget by Output (in million US dollars)

6. Benefits

The mangrove areas established according to this project will not only provide various functions badly needed by the coastal people, e.g., storm shelter, shore erosion prevention and sewage purification, but can also provided sites for education and recreation. Assuming US$ 500/hectare/year as the lowest economic value of the products and services provided from the mangrove ecosystem, an area of 20,000 hectares can bring local residents US$ 10 million per year; if it is US$ 1,000/hectare/year for the average economic value of the same area, then the benefit can be US$ 20 million per year. This analysis doesn't consider the value of the land and aquatic environment benefit of the mangroves. After completion of the project, the existing coral reef resources in the Chinese sea area can be conserved, the destroyed part can be recovered gradually, the fishing yields along the Chinese coral reef areas and the areas around them can double or more. Therefore, China will make its greater contribution to the protection of the biodiversity in the world.

7. Risks

Shortage of funds, public's poor awareness and participation are the key obstacles to the implementation of this project. In recent years, with the gradual increase of the recognition of the resources value and importance of conservation of the mangroves and coral reefs, the Chinese government would like to raise funds to implement this project with international financial support. People's knowledge and level of participation will be improved through planned public education.

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