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

This project aims to develop eco-tourism on the basis of sustainable principles. The project will enable Dahong Mountain to develop all kinds of eco-tourism activities while strengthening the local socio-economy development. In addition, it will also protect the ecological environment and historical remains, and increase the public awareness of environment.

This project is based on programme areas 14A, 14B, 14E and 15A of Chinaís Agenda 21, and is related to programme areas 8A and 7C.

2. Background

Located in the Zhongxiang city, Hubei province, the national priority scenic site---Dahong Mountain attracts an increasing number of domestic and international visitors, due to the marvellous natural landscapes and ancient remains. The Dahong Mountain enjoys 93 extraordinary peaks in its range, more than 20 wonderful views of rock-hanging and valley-fogging landscapes. The waterfalls, deep ponds, famous springs and lakes are spread all over the mountain area. In particular, there are two springs, only 5 meters away from each other, from one hot water wells up, however from another cold water. This is a rare hydrogeological phenomenon in the world. There are also 48 grottoes, of which one called Huangxian enjoys more than 40,000 m2 of quarts-fogged landscape, which is matchless in the world. Dahong mountain has a wide range of biological species, of which 35 tree species in danger of extinction are under national priority protection. The mountain also has 58 bird species from 20 families and 33 beast species from 13 families which are all in danger of extinction.

Dahong Mountain is the birthplace of Chu (an ancient country in Chinese history) culture in China, in which there are 93 related historic sites and remains. One site named Shenlu is the place where the Chu king met dukes and discussed the plan to attack Sui (another country in the same period with Chu). In addition, Bianfan Culture Ruins was dated from Old Stone Age, enjoying a long history of more than 6,000 years. Yuntai Temple is the place where the founder of Tao, Zhengwu god, created the Tao religion before his moving to Wudang mountain. The temple preserves large scale of Tao remains, carved stone and so on. Dahong mountain also is the place where Lulin Uprising took place in the end of the Xihan Dynasty, as a result there are many ancient campsites and battle fields. The Xian Tomb of Ming dynasty, a national key preservation site of historic relic, is the largest single-body emperor tomb in the periphery of Dahong mountain which covers an area of 180 hectares.

Dahong mountain enjoys a superior geographical location with convenient transportation. It is situated in a triangle-typed zone formed by Wuhan, Yichang and Xiangfan. The number of visitors to Dahong mountain increase at a rate of 20% annually, with a total number of over 200,000 in 1995. As the conventional tourism patterns always accompany with ecological degradation, an integration of tourism development with protection of natural environment is necessary based on the principles of sustainable development. This would avoid damage to the environment by tourism and promote the sustainable development of tourism in Dahong mountain.

Because the Dahong mountain has such a potential for tourism development, the Zhongxiang Municipal Government has put forward the development strategy of eco-tourism which has been incorporated into the Ninth Five-Year Plan and Long-term Targets for the Year 2010.

3. Objectives

3.1 Long-term Objective

To develop the eco-tourism through the rational use of natural and cultural tourism resources. The eco-tourism will try to find a way to co-ordinate tourism with the protection and sustainable use of natural resources.

3.2 Immediate Objectives

• To implement the eco-tourism programs on the basis of conservation of ecosystem;
• To set up an operating mechanism that not only rationally uses natural resources but also flourishes tourism in Dahong mountain;
• To intensify the education about environment and increase the awareness of ecological environment over local residents and visitors.

4. Outputs and Activities

4.1 Development of the planning for eco-tourism in Dahong mountain.

• To comprehensively survey the situations of ecological environment, tourism resources and historic relics in Dahong mountain. The item will also establish a monitoring network for the ecological environment and eco-tourism management information system. These systems would be based on a GIS system on the natural resources and environment of Dahong mountain.
• To work out a development strategy for eco-tourism, investigate the scale and setting of infrastructure construction, design eco-tourism programs and limit humanís activities within the carrying capacity of the environment;
• To formulate out an action plan for building up the tertiary industry led by tourism.

Monitoring Indicators: three survey and planning reports, 80 monitoring sites, and a computer-based eco-tourism geographical information system.

Implementing Agency: Zhongxiang Municipal Government.

Time Schedule: January 1997 - December 1998.

4.2 Construction of infrastructures for tourism, scientific research and recreation.

• To construct a guest hotel and a sanatorium with hot-water spring.;
• To construct a service centre for field camping;
• To build an academic flat;
• To establish a system for disaster and contingency control.

Monitoring Indicators: the infrastructure's capacity of 250,000 person-time in the next few years and 500,000 person-time in the year 2000.

Implementing Agency: Zhongxiang Municipal Government.

Time Schedule: January 1997 - December 2000.

4.3 Protection of rare and precious species

• To set up an isolated special belt for protection of rare, valuable and old-aged plants such as maidenhair, Chinese ash, pine forest, and weeping cypress etc. The project will also build special tour roads and scenery viewing sites for visitors;
• To establish a cultivation and reproduction base for rare and valuable plant and animal species;
• To isolate special areas for the protection of the rare and valuable animals such as leopard, giant salamander, and pangolin. The project will also set up attention-boards and the special tour roads for visitors;
• To establish an artificial reproducing base for the rare and valuable animal species in the periphery of Dahong mountain.

Monitoring Indicators: the plant-cultivating base of 166 ha., and the animal-reproducing base of 200 ha.

Implementing Agencies: Hubei Provincial Forestry Department, Zhongxiang Municipal Government.

Time Schedule: January 1997 - December 2000.

4.4 Protection for Nianfoting Reservoir, Bazhe River and 24 famous springs in the mountain and development of touring on water

• To perfect the facilities of Nianfoting Reservoir. In addition, the project will develop dragon-boat race or other recreation activities for tourists;
• To develop bamboo canoe and skin raft adventures along the Bazhe river;
• To protect the 24 famous springs.

Monitoring indicators: water holding capacity of 80 million m3 for Nianfoting reservoir with the water quality at the first grade of surface water.

Implementing agencies: Hubei Provincial Tourism Bureau, Zhongxiang Municipal Government.

Time schedule: January 1998 - December 2000.

4.5 Protection of historic relics and origination-seeking for culture

• To formulate plan for exploration, archaeological studies and protection of relics;
• To construct a exhibition centre of historic and cultural relics in the periphery of protection area of Dahong mountain, mainly disposing the historic material of Chu, Tao and Bianfan culture;
• To renovate the largest single-body tomb of Minxian Emperor;
• To protect the historic relics and to develop scenery viewing sites.

Monitoring Indicators: 20,000 m2 of use area in Exhibition Centre, maintenance of 180 ha of tomb of Minxian Emperor.

Implementing Agencies: Hubei Provincial Cultural Bureau, Zhongxiang Municipal Government.

Time Schedule: January 1997 - December 2000.

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 equipment.

5.3 Budget

The total investment needed for this project is US$ 36.6 million. The Chinese participants will raise US$ 23.5 million from domestic source, while foreign aid and investment will cover the other US$ 13.1 million.

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

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

6. Benefits

After the completion of this project, it will bring US$ 15-20 million every year as direct economic benefit. The local community, implementing agencies and tourist will also take the advantages of the project while bearing ecological and social benefit. Furthermore, the development of tourism will greatly stimulate the socio-economy in the periphery areas of Zhongxiang city. This will increase the job opportunity and raise the living conditions for local people.

7. Risks

The shortage in financial funding may be a key constraint to this project. Therefore, the Zhongxiang 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 research capability is weak in the local region, so the implementing agencies have to seek the help from other relevant research institutions and foreign institutions to fulfil this project.

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