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Forest Biodiversity and Nature
Reserve Management in China
Shirong Liu and Xun Yan
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Development of
Nature Reserves in China
Nature reserves as in-situ conservation sites play a significant role
in conserving biodiversity. Nature reserves of different types provide the most
effective protection for valuable natural ecosystems and habitats for wildlife,
in particular, rare and endangered species.
Since the establishment of the first nature reserve of Dinghshan in 1956, the
number of nature reserves has been increasing in China, but it has accelerated
in recent years (see Table 4). Up to 1997, there are 926 nature reserves of
different types in the country with a total area of 76.979 million ha,
accounting for 7.64% of the total area (excluding ocean type nature reserves)
and forming an integrated nature reserve network in China. Of the 926 nature
reserves, 124 are State-level reserves with a total area of 26.4606 million ha;
392 are province-level reserves with a total area of 46.0646 million ha; 84 are
municipality-level reserves with a total area of 659,300 ha; 326 are
county-level reserves with a total area of 3.7945 million ha.
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Table 4. Development of China’s Nature Reserves (1956-1997) |
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Year |
Number |
Area in 104 ha |
Percentage of
total territory |
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1956 |
1 |
0.1 |
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1965 |
19 |
64.9 |
0.07% |
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1978 |
34 |
128.5 |
0.13% |
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1982 |
119 |
408.2 |
0.43% |
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1987 |
481 |
2375 |
2.47% |
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1989 |
573 |
2,476.3 |
2.58% |
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1991 |
708 |
5,607.7 |
5.54% |
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1993 |
763 |
6,618.4 |
6.80% |
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1995 |
799 |
7,190.7 |
7.13% |
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1997 |
926 |
7,697.9 |
7.64% |
Fourteen of the State-level reserves are included in the Man and Biosphere
Programme (MAB), such as Changbaishan Reserve in Jilin Province, Wolong Reserve
in Sichuan Province, Fanjingshan Reserve in Guizhou Province, Shenlongjia
Reserve in Hubei Province, Wuyishan Reserve in Fujian Province, Bogeda Peak
Reserve in Xinjiang Autonomous Region, Dinghushan Reserve in Guangdong Province,
Xilingele Reserve in Inner Mongolia, and Yanchen Reserve in Jiangsu Province. In
addition, seven of the State-level reserves are listed as wetlands of
international importance under the Convention on Wetlands of International
Importance, such as Zalong, Xianghai, Poyanghu, Dongdongtinghu, Dongzaigang,
Qinghaihu and Mipu Reserves. By the end of 1998, the number of State-level
reserves in China amounts to 136. Of the 633 nature reserves operated by the
forest agencies, 94 are State-level reserves.
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