Final Report - Asian Development Bank

52 Main Report
176. The Hot-Spring development does not involve any resettlement or land compensation issues.
C. Environmental Impact
177. The Project area does not include a nature reserve or protected area however it is classified
as forest lands with the majority being natural and conservation forest classification. The recently
completed and ADB financed Land Degradation Strategy for Shaanxi identified the North slopes of
the Qinling Mountains as the highest priority ecological zones in the Province requiring significant
protection. SEPA has also included the Qinling Mountains as a national priority for the Ecological
Function Management Area recognizing the critical ecological functions provided in supporting
biodiversity and the soil and water process that directly influence the wider Shaanxi province including
the water supply of nearby Xian city.
178. The Project area has national and international cultural and religious values relating to the
Daoist movement. The Louguantai area is acclaimed as the birth place of Daoism and there are a
number of existing temples that have been restored and continue to be used. The Project proposes to
intervene at a further 18 historical and religiously important temple sites that will require safeguard
procedures to be followed.
179. The Qinling mountains is globally recognized as a biodiversity hot spot due to the high levels
of biodiversity represented and the high levels of associated endemism in the range. There are 37
globally endangered species within the Qinling Mountains including major iconic species such as the
giant Panda (the Qinling mountains has 20% of the PRC population), the Crested Ibis, Golden
Monkey, Golden Takin, Chinese Giant Salamandar. Historical deforestation and loss of habitat has
created system-wide threats too much of the biodiversity. In response donors and international
community have provided substantial foreign investment in an attempt to reverse threat and to secure
the future of existing biodiversity. A major gap in the protected area coverage has been the toe slopes
on both the North and South side of the Qinling Mountains where the Project Area is located. The
Biodiversity is also supported through the ex-situ activities of the Shaanxi animal rescue center and its
management of “rescued animals” and their welfare comes under direct scrutiny both nationally and
internationally.
180. The project investments will have a number of potentially positive impacts on the environment
through support for the introduction of improved land use practices including forest cover and
biodiversity within the CDA zone and the development of world class ex-situ collections. These
activities will continue long after the project through financing provided from the enterprises being
developed in the ex-situ zone of the Project. A significant threat is the added risk of the proposed
QBG to introduce non-native non-Qinling plants into the Botanical garden and how these have the
potential to become invasive species. Both the CBD and GEF have prioritized the management of
risks arising from potentially invasive species and these have been discussed in full with the QBG,
however they still propose to include such species without appropriate skills or systems in quarantine
or control of plant materials. Equally important is the likely impact on iconic faunal species including
Panda and Crested Ibis both in the wild and in captivity. For example, currently the SARC is only 2
breeding Pandas are from Wollong and not the Qinling sub-species. The proposed scale of the Panda
breeding unit of 60 Panda’s suggests that significant numbers would need ot be wild harvested to use
this capacity.
181. To achieve this the Project will support a number of commercial enterprises that will
undertake significant construction of buildings including exhibition halls, offices, tourism
accommodation and restaurants, animal exposition and display areas, animal enclosures, roads and
infrastructure including drainage systems, lighting, water supply and irrigation investments, and into
the Daoist temples. Of special concern is the level of impact from road investments that include
bridges and supporting drainage systems, water supply systems for the QBG and Dian Zhen village,
the damming of the river for the Crested Ibis artificial wetland, and the impact arising from massive
increases in the number of visitors.
182. While the direct impact of these constructions and interventions will be significant they have
been assessed to be sufficiently managed within the current set of concept designs provided –see
Appendix 18 for the initial environmental assessment.