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5 - 12B
The Conservation Of Eco-tourism In Secondary Forest In Jinggang
Mountain
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1. Project Summary and Relationship to China's 21
Agenda With poverty and tourism threatening the
sustainable development of forest resource in Jinggang
Mountain, this project probes the solution to poverty
alleviation through development of ecologically benign
tourism (eco-tourism) and related economic activities. The
programme will ensure that the natural resources in the area
will be used and conserved in accordance with the sustainable
development principles. Also, this project can provide a
demonstration of sustainable development to poverty-stricken
and touring site region.
This project is based on programme areas 14A, 14B, 14E and
15A of China's Agenda 21, and is related to programme areas
8A and 7C.
2. Background
Jinggang mountain is a national scenic spot and an
important national reserve region in China. It enjoys a
virgin landscape and pristine ecological conditions with a
80.1% forest cover rate. The ever-green broad-leaf forest is
maintained at an area of 21,200 hectares. Within the highest
peak of the mountain range, there are 7,000 hectares
secondary forest which is the best natural forest at this
longitude of the world. It has diverse biological species,
with 1108 animal species and 3800 plant species. Among these,
20 plant species are unique in Jinggang Mountain area, 108
plant species and 6 animal species are on the brink of
extinction. There is a rarely seen natural azalea corridor,
which is 5 km in length and 2 km in width, in the periphery
of secondary forest. Many kinds of azalea, colourful and
spotted, grow naturally to height from 2m-3m. Tourists can
enjoy not only the rare and valuable plants along the bank of
Qunlian lake, but also the rare and valuable animals such as
Jinggang macaques. In general, the green peaks, forest sea,
streams and water-falls, deep ponds and pollution-free air in
Jinggang area provide a very joyous and relaxed atmosphere.
Therefore, it is an ideal site for scientific research and
eco-tourism.
However, due to its unfavourable location in the juncture
of Jiangxi and Hunan provinces, with limited infrastructure
and transport services, the area did not develop economically
with much poverty among the population. However, the
completion of Beijing-Kowloon railway has created an
opportunity for the development of the socio-economy of
Jinggang mountain. However a series of concerns has arisen to
which the great deal of attention must be paid. Generally the
economy in a poverty-stricken region depends excessively on
the exploitation of natural resources. On the other hand,
tourism activities increasingly exacerbates the degeneration
of forest resources. As a result, the natural environment
faces an increasing threat from tourism and economic
activities. In 1995, Jinggang Mountain received about 150
thousand visitors, and the number is increasing at a rate of
15%-20% annually. However, the forest area, animal and plant
species are all decreasing. How to harmonise the development,
poverty alleviation and conservation of the natural ecosystem
has thus become an important question faced by the
government.
A promising solution to the dilemma is the development of
eco-tourism planning which will provide a framework for
eco-tourism activities. Through the development of
eco-tourism can we include the conservation of natural
resource and the development of economy in a sustainable
development strategy which eliminate the hidden peril of
degeneration of renewable resources in the region. Therefore,
Jinggang Mountain city proposed the Flourishing city Strategy
by Tourism in 1994 and also put the conservation of forest
resource and development of eco-tourism into the Ninth
Five-Year Plan and long-term Targets for the Year 2010.
The Jinggang Mountain has employed a profound base for
developing eco-tourism. 15,500 hectares of natural
reservation area was developed in 1981, with 7,000 hectares
secondary forest as the focus area. The central government
listed the mountain as national priority scenic site in 1983
and as one of the forty best scenic sites in China
3. Objectives
3.1 Long-term Objective
The project aims to speed up the local economy and
alleviate poverty through the development of eco-tourism. The
project would integrate the conservation and exploitation of
natural resources into a sustainable development pattern,
which will provide a successful demonstration of harmonised
development of environment and socio-economy in poverty
stricken and tourism areas.
3.2 Immediate Objectives
- To restore and conserve genetic resources of plant and
animal species in secondary forest;
- To plan eco-tourism programs and infrastructure
construction in order to provide a sustainable
development framework for eco-tourism implementation;
- To develop the local economy based on eco-tourism, and
hammering out a solution toward sustainable development
for the Jinggang Mountain region.
4. Outputs and Activities
4.1 Planning for the conservation of secondary forest and
eco-tourism in Jinggang Mountain.
- To establish a geographical information system (GIS) on
the basis of the survey of forest resources and touring
scenic-sites;
- To formulate an action plan for restoration and
conservation of genetic resources of animal and plant
species in secondary forest;
- To plan an eco-tourism program based on the tourism
carrying capacity of local resources. The item aims to
put human activity below the limit of ecosystem
threshold;
- To formulate a plan for the economic development by
eco-tourism.
Monitoring Indicators: a geographical information system;
Action plan for restoration and conservation of genetic
resources and the planning of eco-tourism.
Implementing Agencies: Science and Technology Commission
of Jiangxi and Jinggang Mountain Municipal Government.
Time Schedule: January 1997 - December 1998.
4.2 Infrastructure construction
- To construct a hotel, sanatorium, film and TV program
filming location and childrenís camp-ground;
- To enlarge the road system by building a 100 km long toll
road;
- To perfect the communication system, including the
computer-based information service centre and network
linked with Internet;
- To perfect municipal infrastructure and construct a
wastewater treatment plant and solid waste treatment
plant.
Monitoring Indicators: the capacity of infrastructure can
meet the requirement of 200,000 visits of tourism in the next
few years and 500,000 visits in the year 2000.
Implementing Agency: the Jinggang Mountain Municipal
Government.
Time Schedule: January 1997 - December 2000.
4.3 Conserving the long corridor of azalea
- To formulate conservation measures and tourism
development;
- To establish a corresponding monitoring and management
network;
- To build and perfect necessary facilities for tourist
that will bring minimal disruption to the area;
Monitoring Indicators: more than 10 km2 of long corridor
of azalea, and 5 pavilions for viewing the azaleas, 15
monitoring sites.
Implementing Agencies: the Jiangxi Provincial Touring
Bureau, Jinggang Mountain Municipal Government.
Time Schedule: January 1997 - December 2000.
4.4 Touring on the Qunlian Lake. Since Qunlian Lake is
located in the periphery of secondary forest, tourists can
enjoy the sight of secondary forest with many rare and
valuable plants and animals while canoeing on the lake.
- To provide a number of canoes and to construct a pier;
- To build necessary facilities for keeping the water
resource in good quality such as washrooms beside the
pier and water quality monitoring station;
- To establish relevant tourist services, such as canoe
rented, guide service, water patrol and rescue team.
Monitoring Indicators: touring course of more than 5 km on
the water, and conservation of the secondary forest and water
resource, water quality of national standard.
Implementing Agencies: the Jiangxi Provincial Touring
Bureau, Jinggang Mountain Municipal Government.
Time Schedule: June 1997 - June 2001.
4.5 Establishing a Species Garden In Jinggang Mountain
- To plan for the Species Garden development;
- To establish relevant facilities for scientific research,
species cultivation and viewing;
- To establish the species file;
- To build an ecological education centre lecturing the
survival conditions of each species and the impact of
human activities on it.
Monitoring Indicators: an 500 hectares Species Garden
containing at least 150 species, of which more than 100
plants are species on the brink of extinction and 30 animals
belong to the national preserved species.
Implementing Agencies: the Jiangxi Provincial Forestry
Department, Jinggang Mountain Municipal Government.
Time Schedule: January 1997 - December 1999.
4.6 Developing a tourism-based economy, establishing and
perfecting a tourist service system, production system and
management system.
- To establish a professional education centre, teaching
the practical techniques and providing various services
in the form of broadcasting and TV lecturing;
- TO develop tourism products with local characteristics,
such as various bamboo products and handicrafts;
- To construct an eco-tourism village in the periphery of
secondary forest, produce green foods, develop local
customs and various tourism programmes.
Monitoring Indicators: 10 varieties of tourism products,
an ecological village, a vocational training centre with
capacity of more than 400 visits, more than 10 broadcast or
TV lectures every year.
Implementing Agency: the Jinggang Mountain Municipal
Government.
Time Schedule: June 1997 - June 2005
5. Inputs
5.1 Chinese inputs
Chinese input will be used for project management,
transportation costs for Chinese researchers, reproduction of
species in danger of extinction, personnel training,
construction of facilities, and collection of references,
data and information.
5.2 International inputs
International input will be used for technical assistance,
technical consulting services, training of personnel,
developing GIS for the decision making system, and purchasing
relevant apparatus.
5.3 Budget
The total capital needed for this project is US$ 33.00
million. The Chinese participants will raise US$ 19.50
million from domestic sources, while foreign aid and
investment will cover the other US$ 13.50 million.
Table 1. Budget by Item (in million US
dollars)
| Item |
Total |
Chinese Inputs |
International Inputs |
| Subtotal |
Grant |
Loan |
Local
Contribution |
Subtotal |
Grant |
Loan |
Direct
Investment |
| Experts |
1.50 |
0.60 |
0.50 |
|
0.10 |
0.90 |
0.90 |
|
|
| Training |
2.50 |
1.20 |
1.00 |
|
0.20 |
1.30 |
1.30 |
|
|
| Apparatus |
8.70 |
4.20 |
1.20 |
2.00 |
1.00 |
4.50 |
1.50 |
1.00 |
2.00 |
Demonstration
engineering |
20.10 |
13.30 |
7.80 |
2.50 |
3.00 |
6.80 |
|
1.30 |
5.50 |
| Contingency |
0.20 |
0.20 |
0.20 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Total |
33.00 |
19.50 |
10.70 |
4.50 |
4.30 |
13.50 |
3.70 |
2.30 |
7.50 |
Table 2. Budget by Output (in million
US dollars)
| Output |
Total |
Chinese Inputs |
International Inputs |
| Subtotal |
Grant |
Loan |
Local
Contribution |
Subtotal |
Grant |
Loan |
Direct
Investment |
| 4.1 |
1.00 |
0.50 |
0.50 |
|
|
0.50 |
0.50 |
|
|
| 4.2 |
6.10 |
2.70 |
0.80 |
1.00 |
0.90 |
3.90 |
0.70 |
1.40 |
1.80 |
| 4.3 |
7.00 |
3.80 |
2.30 |
1.00 |
0.50 |
3.20 |
|
|
3.20 |
| 4.4 |
6.50 |
3.50 |
2.10 |
1.00 |
0.40 |
2.90 |
|
0.40 |
2.50 |
| 4.5 |
8.00 |
6.50 |
3.50 |
1.00 |
2.00 |
1.00 |
1.00 |
|
|
| 4.6 |
4.40 |
2.50 |
1.50 |
0.50 |
0.60 |
2.00 |
1.50 |
0.50 |
|
| Total |
33.00 |
19.50 |
10.70 |
4.50 |
4.30 |
13.50 |
3.70 |
2.30 |
7.50 |
6. Benefits
After the completion of this project, $10-15 million could
be realised every year as direct economic benefit. The
tourists and local residents could also benefit from the
project.
7. Risks
The shortage of funding may be a key obstacle to this
project. Therefore, the Jinggang Mountain Municipal
Government will try in every possible way to raise funds from
any source, especially from the foreign scientific
institutions and NGO's institutions. In addition, the local
region is weak in the research, so the implementing agencies
have to seek help from the State Science Technology
Commission which can organise the relevant research
institutions or experts to participate in this project.
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