Half of world’s wild pandas to be protected – WWF

WWF has recognized the efforts of China’s Sichuan and Gansu Provinces to preserve giant panda habitat in the Minshan Mountains as a “Gift to the Earth”, the global conservation organization’s highest accolade for significant conservation achievements.

Shared by the provincial governments of Sichuan and Gansu, the Minshan landscape is known to be one of the most biologically diverse temperate forest landscapes on earth.

“The presentation of Gift to the Earth certificate to Sichuan and Gansu provinces is WWF’s recognition of both provinces’ longtime cooperative contribution to the biodiversity protection in Minshan,” said WWF International Director General, James Leape.

The commitment by the two provincial governments involves creation of new Protected Areas, improved management of existing areas, creation of linking corridors, cessation of logging, bamboo forest restoration and co-management for panda conservation with other management agencies, such as with forest farms.

The two provincial governments have also committed to establish, by 2010, a further 900,000 ha of Protected Areas for other wildlife.

China’s third national panda survey estimates that 1,600 panda survive in the wild, with the populations in Minshan accounting for 44.4 per cent of the total population.

“WWF hopes that the nature reserves will expand continuously and more endangered wild species will be protected. We admire both provincial governments’ efforts and promise to continue supporting conservation work in this region.”

Sichuan has also agreed to retain a logging ban until 2010 covering 840,000 hectares of natural forest.

The Gansu provincial government has also expressed its commitment to maintain the logging ban covering 430,000ha of forest.

Together, the two provincial governments have established a total of 1,529,000 hectares of panda habitat — since the 1960’s. This corresponds to an area that is four times the size of Hawaii.

The forestry administration has promised to conduct continuous monitoring in panda habitats in Minshan, as well as in other parts of the country where the endangered species lives.

”This commitment to panda conservation is of global importance,” added WWF China Country Representative Dermot O’Gorman. “We hope that China will continue its conservation work to create a bright future in which humans live in harmony with nature.”