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

This project will employ remote sensing techniques to carry out monitoring and assessment of the dynamic changes of the resources and ecosystems in China's tropical rain forests; conserve and gradually rehabilitate China's topical rain forest resources and regain the balance of ecosystems by such means as quota logging; provide timber and raw industrial materials for the national economic development through establishment of tropical timber plantations and integrated agroforestry operations so as to eventually raise the living standards of the local people and vitalise the economy in tropical forest areas.

This project is based on programme area 14E of China's Agenda 21, and is related to programme area 15A.

2. Background

The tropical rain forests and monsoon forests in China are located mainly to the south of the Tropic of Cancer in Hainan Island, South China Sea Islands, Taiwan Island and the southern part of Yunnan province. From a global perspective, tropical rain forests grow mainly in three continents, i.e.: South America, Africa and Asia with a total area of 800 - 900 million hectares. Although they cover only 6% of the total land area of the planet, they host over 50% of the species on earth. In this connection, tropical rain forests play a extremely significant role in biodiversity conservation and maintenance of the global eco-balance. Nevertheless, deforestation, illegal cutting and conversion of forest land for agriculture, resulting from population growth and poverty in the tropical regions destroy large areas of tropical forests. Frequent forest fires have resulted in the extinction of a great number of species, global warming and deteriorating hydrological conditions.

All these factors have drawn the attention of the international community. In 1985, the United Nations Development Programme, the World Bank, the International Research Institute of Environment and Development and the World Resource Institute jointly developed the Tropical Forestry Action Plan to assist the developing countries in arresting destruction of the tropical forests while conserving and sustainable utilising the existing forests, while generating benefits for the people living in these tropical forests. In 1992, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development adopted measures such as Agenda 21, Convention on Biological Diversity, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the Forest Principles, which clearly defined, from the human survival and development perspective, roles and environmental benefits of the forest and the tropical rain forests in particular. However, conflicts between conservation and development of tropical rain forests have never been solved. From an ecological, species conservation and environmental viewpoint, the remaining virgin tropical forests and even the ordinary natural tropical forests should not be logged; but large volumes of timber are required in the daily life and economic development of the local people in the tropics. Within this context, the major issue that the present project addresses is to determine appropriate policies, approaches and techniques to be adopted for solving the contradiction between conservation and development of China's tropical rain forests, i.e.: how sustainable management can be practised while the ecosystems and biodiversity of tropical rain forests are effectively protected.

This project will play a significant role in the socio-economic development strategy of the central and local governments and the forestry sector. Implementation of the project will benefit the conservation and rehabilitation of China's tropical rain forest resources, improve the tropical ecosystems and ensure the sustainable management of tropical forests, and will make its due contribution to the transfer of tropical forestry from a planned to a market economy, from extensive to intensive management, and to the realisation of the Ninth Five-Year Plan and Long-term Targets for the Year 2010.

The firm foundation and sound pre-project preparation will facilitate project implementation. In China, there is established legal evidence and rich experience in tropical rain forest conservation, and the Ministry of Forestry attaches great importance to the conservation, rehabilitation and sustainable management of the tropical rain forests. Forest management models and multi-functional forests have been established while logging has been brought under strict control. Great efforts were made in the Seventh and Eighth Five-Year Plan periods in application of the remote sensing techniques in forestry, and the Chinese GIS technology is approaching the advanced world standard which will provide a reliable technical guarantee for the dynamic monitoring of the resources and ecosystems in tropical rain forests. The ITTO Project: A Demonstration Programme of Sustainable Utilisation by Means of Differentiated Management of Tropical Forests in Hainan Island, China has carried out typical surveys in 20 cities (counties/forest farms) of 5 provinces and autonomous regions in tropical China. The provinces and autonomous regions concerned have also established scale timber plantation bases which have generated sound economic and social benefits. Full support shall be given by local governments and forestry authorities at different levels to guarantee the smooth implementation of the project.

3. Objectives

3.1 Long-term Objective

The long-term objective of the project are to rehabilitate and protect the tropical rain forest resources and its biodiversity, to raise the establishment and management levels of plantations, to guarantee the sustainable production of medium size tropical round wood and quality tropical timber for industrial purposes, to improve the living conditions of the local people, and to promote the sustainable socio-economic development in tropical rain forests.

3.2 Immediate Objectives

• To establish a remote sensing monitoring system supported by GIS for monitoring and evaluation of the dynamic changes in China's tropical rain forest resources and its ecosystems;
• To establish tropical rain forest conservation and management zones where mountain closure shall be practised to release pressure from tropical rain forests, rehabilitate and protect the ecosystems and biodiversity in China's tropical rain forests;
• To initiate short rotation practice in tropical rain forests, establish medium and long-term timber plantation bases for precious species, set up agroforestry management models, and greatly increase the productivity of plantations.

4. Outputs and Activities

4.1 Amendment and improvement of policies and legal documents

• To carry out the survey and analysis of the status of damage to China's tropical rain forests, conservation and rehabilitation measures, and pending issues;
• To carry out the survey and analysis of China's current policies, laws and regulations on conservation of the tropical rain forests;
• To amend and improve policies, laws and regulations on conservation and rehabilitation of the tropical rain forests including those on logging restriction and closure of mountainous forestry pressures.

Monitoring Indicators: policy and legal systems for conservation and rehabilitation of the tropical rain forests

Implementing Agency: Department of Silviculture and Forest Management, Ministry of Forestry Time Schedule: January 1997 - December 2000

4.2 Resource monitoring

• To establish a GIS network in the tropical rain forest areas, to acquire and process remote sensing data. Geographical information data shall be collected according to scale 1: 250,000 for the project area as a whole and 1:50,000 for typical zones. Multi-platform and multi-sequential data including those from the satellite and airborne radar shall be collected to enable comprehensive use of multi-source data and acquisition of all kinds of information;
• To classify site types and plan the future use of China's tropical rain forest areas by using multi-source data, and provide correspondingly scaled maps and information;
• To continue to improve and update all types of GIS data, establish the dynamic monitoring system for the forest resources and ecosystems in China's tropical rain forest areas, monitor the impacts of such activities as logging, conservation and rehabilitation, and provide maps periodically and information on dynamic changes.

Monitoring Indicators: periodical assessment reports and related maps on China's tropical rain forests and ecosystems

Implementing Agency: Chinese Academy of Forestry

Time Schedule: January 1997 - December 2000

4.3 Establishment of tropical rain forest conservation and management zones

• To carry out resource inventory and adopt measures for the closure of mountainous areas to logging in the tropical rain forests which have not been declared as nature reserve areas; 10 conservation and management zones shall be established with a total area of 133,000 hectares;
• To introduce exotic species for adjustment of species composition, establishment of mixed forests and reforest barren hills and wasteland in the conservation and management zones; study the roles of exotic species in the tropical rain forest ecosystems, their productivity, and influence on biodiversity; the total area shall be 60,240 hectares;
• To set up models for integrated agroforestry management in tropical rain forests, investigate the current models of agro-pastural-forestry ecosystems and carry out intercropping including herbals medicines, fruits, and animal husbandry .

Monitoring Indicators: the increased volume of standing timber stock will reach 500,000 cubic meters in 10 years, with grain yield of 120 million kg.

Implementing Agencies: implemented jointly by Hainan province, Yunnan province and Chinese Academy of Forestry under the supervision of the Department of Silviculture and Forest Management, Ministry of Forestry.

Time Schedule: January 1997 - December 2000

4.4 Establishment of tropical timber plantation bases

• To set up two breeding centres in Guangdong and Yunnan provinces with an annual yield of 4.5 million seedlings respectively, including a gene collection and breeding plot, a spike collection plot, a cutting plot, a seedling development plot, a workshop for the new seedling trays;
• To establish timber plantations with short rotation by seeds selection, cloning and monoculture of such tree species as Eucalyptus, Wattle and Tropical Pine; set up 10 timber plantations covering a total area of 13,300 ha.;
• To establish 5 large-diameter timber plantation bases with a total area of 6,700 ha. by using such precious tree species as Teak, Hopea, Chinese Bushbeech, Chinese Hawthorn.

Monitoring Indicator: an annual increment of 25-30 cubic meters per hectare for timber plantations with short rotation.

Implementing Agencies: implemented jointly by Hainan province, Guangdong province, Guangxi province, Fujian province and Yunnan province and Chinese Academy of Forestry under the auspices of the Department of Silviculture and Forest Management, Ministry of Forestry.

Time Schedule: January 1997 - December 2000

4.5 Education and training

• To establish the Conservation and Management Training Centre for Tropical Forests in China;
• To compile training materials for the project, with contents involving tropical rain forests resource and biodiversity; recovery, conservation and management techniques; breeding and management techniques for tropical timber forests; integrated management techniques for agroforestry;
• To conduct training for grassroots management, engineering technicians and workers in the project area;
• To dispatch some management and engineering technicians to foreign countries for training and exchange.

Monitoring Indicators: a total of 300 management staff and technicians and 1,000 workers will be trained, and 50 people will be sent abroad for training.

Implementing Agencies: implemented jointly by Hainan province, Yunnan province and Chinese Academy of Forestry under the Guangdong province, Guangxi province, Fujian province and auspices of the Department of Silviculture and Forest Management, Ministry of Forestry.

Time Schedule: January 1997 - December 2000

5. Inputs

5.1 Chinese Inputs

The Chinese inputs will mainly be used for infrastructure construction, engineering construction, monitoring of resources and ecosystem, scientific research, inventory, design and planning, study tours, travel, subsidies for nature reserves and publication of materials.

5.2 International Inputs

The international inputs will be mainly used for inviting foreign experts, monitoring, training, facilities, scientific research, engineering construction, inventory and design, foreign study tours, travel, and subsidies for nature reserves. It is expected that co-operative research will be conducted, technical assistance with demonstration and training granted, monitoring, production and teaching equipment introduced, with grant, loan, technical exchange and study tours as the co-operative mode.

5.3 Budget

The total capital needed for this project is US$ 16.00 million. The Chinese side will raise US$ 9.80 million from domestic source, while foreign aid will cover the other US$ 6.20 million.

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

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Table 2. Budget by Output (in million US dollars) Output Total Chinese Inputs International Inputs

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6. Benefits

Remote sensing and monitoring of the tropical forest resources and ecosystem will provide decision-making support for the central and local governments to further define the conservation, recovery and sustainable development plan for tropical forests. The breeding techniques for timber plantations in tropical regions will improve the management standard for forests in the project area and enrich the species resources in the tropical region of China. The implementation of the project will promote the sustainable development of the social economy in areas of tropical rain forests in China. It will provide employment for 60% of the surplus labour in the forest area. In 7 years the plots for integrated management of agroforestry will yield 120 million kg. of grain. In 10 years the increased stock volume for the conservation and management areas of tropical rain forests and timber plantation bases will reach 500,000 cubic meters and 1 million cubic meters respectively, with a direct output value of US$ 290 million and a ratio of 1 to 18 for input and output. The education and training will create a large pool of qualified forestry personnel, thus enhancing greatly the management level of forests in tropical areas of China.

7. Risks

The major risks of the project involve the low overall scientific level in partial areas of tropical rain forests. An integrated method of publication, training and site demonstration will be adopted to resolve the problem.

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