Final Report - Asian Development Bank

TA 4721-PRC: Preparing the Shaanxi-Qinling Mountains Integrated Ecosystem Management Project
Final Report Appendix 9
interactive between state-owned forests farm and the surrounding
communities.
(c) Explore the possibility of developing a monitoring system to monitor the quality
of the forests including non timber resources in the forest. The system will
include principles and indicators and measures for monitoring. It must be
simple and easy to conduct together with the community.
(d) Develop a proposal to SFA on collective owned natural forest management
issues to allow the community to manage and use the forests in sustainable
manner in Qinling National Ecology Function Zone.
16. The forests management partnership monitoring and studying group will be contracted by
the project over four years with input of two months each year. Suggested budgeting for this group will
be $80,000.
17. The application for exemptions should be organized before the project starts after the project
is approved, so that the exemptions will be in place when the project is ready for implementation.
18. The study group should be formed at the end of the first year of the project implementation
after the pilot villages are chosen.
C. Reform on Eco-tourism Management through developing an Eco-tourism Guideline in
Shaanxi
19. There is no clear guideline in Qinling Mountains for eco-tourism development in terms of
biodiversity conservation sensitivity.
20. The Qinling Mountains have become a significant tourism development area on both north
slope and south slope. The Plan of Shaanxi Qinling National Ecological Function Protection Zone has
indicated 15 tourism development areas in Qinling Mountain. There are under going extensive
development in the name of eco-tourism.
21. There is no clear definition of eco-tourism in the Plan to guide eco-tourism development in
principle. Considering most of Qinling mountain areas are fragile in terms of eco-system and have
significant value of biodiversity in a global sense, it will be very important to make sure these ecotourism
developments are guided in biodiversity conservation sensitivities to prevent over exploitation
and irreversible damage.
22. The PPTA team has explored world –wide eco-tourism experience and principles. The
project will introduce eco-tourism operations in the project area to follow the biodiversity conservation
sensitivity principle. It will be crucial for the project to work with related government agencies to
develop simple, enforceable guidelines for eco-tourism operation to protect biodiversity at landscape
or ecosystem level.
1. Recommendations on reform of guiding eco-tourism development in Qinling
area:
23. The project will subcontract work with Shaanxi Forestry Department (SFD), Shaanxi
Environmental Protection Bureau (SEPB) and Shaanxi Tourism Bureau to develop an eco-tourism
guideline. The guideline should fit within the legal frame-work and be enforceable. The guideline
should be simple to be easily monitored and understood.
The guideline will include:
(i) The definition of eco-tourism
(ii) Implications of the application of principles of eco-tourism in Qinling Mountain
(iii) Indicators for eco-tourism operation to meet the principles of eco-tourism.
(iv) Monitoring system and enforcement measures.
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