Final Report - Asian Development Bank

TA 4721-PRC: Preparing the Shaanxi-Qinling Mountains Integrated Ecosystem Management Project
Final Report Appendix 7
369. The Shaanxi Louguantai National Forest Park is operated by the Shaanxi Provincial Forestry
Department and extends to 410,000 mu (approximately 27,333 ha) and is located between 501 meters
and 2997 meters above sea level. The Park thereby provides a wide vertical distribution of vegetation
zones which contribute to the varied landscape scene. The Park is divided into four main sub-divisions
shown in the Map at the start of this document: (i) East Louguan; (ii) West Louguan; (iii) the Tianyu
River; and (iv) the Shouyang Mountain.
370. The proposed plan focuses on the smaller tourism facility of the Forest Park 25 , which
together with SARC and the Hot Springs is located within Louguantai Village, which is a small town
that fulfils the role of ‘service centre’ for tourism and entrance to the “Louguan Experience” sites. The
town is arranged around a single wide main street which leads to the entrance to the Forest Park and
Hot Springs. The main street is lined with small shops and restaurants that provide services to visitors.
371. Along the main street is also located the impressive Daoist Zong Sheng Palace which is
open to the public. With careful and sensitive management, there is potential to improve both the
range and quality of services offered and also the ‘village quality.’ This could be achieved through
improvements to the open space landscapes at the entrance to the village / main street, the circulation
of traffic which is dangerous to pedestrian visitors during busy periods, and street cleanliness thereby
improving visitor image.
372. Because of the strong potential of the Forest Park and Village, it is proposed that the Forest
Park be provided with Project support to prepare a long-term tourism management and development
plan for the Louguantai Forest Park that would be extended to include tourism management and
development for the Louguantai Village. The purpose of the Plan would be to position the Park and
Village to properly manage, capitalize on and benefit from PA tourism growth. The plan would be
included within the wider landscape plan for the Project Area.
373. The Plan would encompass: (i) a longer-term investment plan (the Park is currently investing
about CNY1 million per year largely on an adhoc basis); (ii) individual and joint marketing; (iii)
interpretation in order to achieve thematic and related consistency with other ex-situ facilities in terms
of quality and format; (iv) attendance and pricing strategies to generate net revenue for QBCDA
biodiversity conservation through e.g. reforestation – the present revenue of CNY10 million based on
CNY30 entry fee and 300,000 visitors per year could easily expand four times by 2015 to 40 million
based on 600,000 visitors and CNY70 per visitor; (v) financial, cooperative, advisory and other
arrangements with the Daoist community; including linking the Forest Park Daoist Temples with other
Daoist sites in the ex-situ and near QBCDA area (the Lao Dzi Trail); and (v) spatial, environmental,
infrastructure, social and business development planning for the Village so that businesses and
families in the Louguantai Village can fully benefit from and add value to the Louguantai Experience.
The Lougauntai Tourism master plan will form an integral part of the wider master landscape plan .
374. The vision for the Louguantai Forest Farm / Louguantai Forest Park, Louguantai Village and
surrounding landscape and communities is to work together with the tourism industry in a harmonious
partnership, adopting best planning, management and marketing practices to establish Louguantai as
one of China’s leading ecological and cultural tourism destinations.
375. The objective is to prepare a Tourism Management Plan for the Louguantai Forest Park,
Louguantai Village and surrounding landscape based on social and environmental constraints and
ensure the sustainable long term development of the areas natural and cultural assets.
376. The planning process would be led by the Louguantai Forest Farm with support from the
Shaanxi Tourism Department. Louguantai Forestry Farm is a government affairs unit approved by the
Shaanxi Forestry Department. The most recent confirmation of its legal status is in 1986. It is a
government affairs unit however government only covers part of its operation cost. LFF is an
independent legal entity registered with Shaanxi Province Government Affair Unit Registration
Administration which can manage forestry land following Forestry ACT of PRC. LFF has the use rights
for the area stated in the forestry land certificate covering 37,163 hectares.
25 However, the larger Forest Park area, which reportedly covers 60% of the PA based on information provided
by Forest Park officials will play a major role in the QBCDA strategy and overall Project impact and outcome.
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