Exchange programmes - IUCN

Implementation of an Exchange Programme for Protected Areas in East Asia
Box 2.1 Finland/China Partnership (EUROPARC)
The Partnership Agreement between protected areas in the Province of Hunan and
National Parks in Finland was signed on 4 August 1995, with the aim of improving
the professional skills of park managers and reserve managers in both countries.
The Finns were interested in China’s rich biodiversity, largely unfamiliar to them,
and which they believed should be protected as a key element in global biodiversity.
The Hunanese were mostly interested in learningabout ecotourism, visitor management
and interpretation techniques.
Senior and technical staff took part in staff exchanges and training seminars on
both topics. Staff exchanges on biodiversity issues started rapidly. A two-day
workshop on the jointly drafted Biodiversity Conservation Action Plan in Hunan
Province was organised in April 1997 in China by the Forestry Department in
Hunan, with the participation of three Finnish experts. EUROPARC provided an
additional financial contribution. Issues relatingto visitor centres were dealt with in
1998 and several exchanges between China and Finland were organised. Finnish
experts were able to share their knowledge in this field and give technical advice for
the construction of the planned visitor centre in Changsha, the capital of Hunan
Province.
Duringthe Co-operation Committee Meetingorganised in Hunan in May 1998,
all sides agreed that the partnership had been successful and had achieved excellent
results in line with the 1995-98 workplan. The co-operation has not only improved
the capacity to manage nature reserves in Hunan, but also promoted scientific
exchange and strengthened the friendship between two partners. In addition to
these technical and professional benefits, a project proposal on Subtropical Forest
Biodiversity Conservation in Hunan has been submitted to the European
Commission for funding. A new workplan for 1998-2001 was agreed upon, which
will continue and expand the work already started. The workplan specified the
followinglines of action:
1. Organisation of exchanges concerning visitor centres, and the completion of
a visitor centre and exhibition in Changsha;
2. Implementation of the Subtropical Forest Biodiversity Conservation project;
3. Publication of the Biodiversity Conservation Action Plan and the Proceedings
of the Seminar; implementation of the Biodiversity Conservation Action
Plan; and
4. Trainingof staff and a Co-operation Committee Meetingeach year.
This description would be incomplete without mentioningthe social and cultural
dimension of the exchanges. The three years of co-operation took place against a
backcloth of important changes in China, with rapid economic growth and the
gradual opening of the People’s Republic of China to Western and South East Asian
countries. As a result, the Hunanese protected area managers were faced with novel
problems, such as waste management in areas with many visitors. Public awareness
of protected areas and environmental issues is gradually increasing and remains the
key to successful nature conservation (EUROPARC Federation, 1998).
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