Bio-diversity

Daweishan National Natural Reserve is located in the south-east part of Yunnan province which mainly across the Pingbian and Hekou county of Honghe Prefecture. The reserve covers a total area of 439 km2 and is the core zone of of Beibuwan biodiversity center, which was one of the three biodiversity centers in China. Daweishan had the only Dipterocarpus tonkinensis humid tropical rainforest in China and the unique monsoon evergreen broad leaved forest and mountain mossy evergreen broad-leaved forest. Pingbian County is one of the 73 key poverty reduction county in Yunnan Province and one of 592 national key poverty reduction county. All the 3 villages were typical remote and poverty mountain village. The average annual income per capita was less than $148 and their education level was low. To better conserve the Daweishan Natural Reserve s ecosystem and biodiversity, the project will develop sustainable livelihoods and alternative energy for the communities, raise local villagers awareness and capacity on biodiversity conservation and establish effective community conservation mechanisms. Main problems: 1) firewood collection was the major threats to local forest that these villages heavily relied on firewood as daily energy for warming house and cooking food and fodder. The average annual firewood consumption was about 5-6 tons per household. 2)Renewable energy such as biogas hasn`t been introduced to the 3 project villages 3)Local villages were lack of the capacity on sustainable development 4)The local communities did not actively participate in conservation activities Solutions/activities: 1)Organize trainings for local villagers on biodiversity and ecosystem value and conservation; apiculture technology and organic certification; biogas management and utilization and ICCA registration. 2)Establish the Beekeeper Association, upgrade the traditional honey to organic honey and complete the organic certification. 3)Construct centralized biogas pools in three villages. 4)Establish the village management committee, develop and implement the community conservation action plan. 5)Complete the ICCA registration. 6)Knowledge management and project outreach. Anticipated results/outcomes: 1)250 people are trained on biodiversity, sustainable livelihood (biodiversity products) and ICCA. Among them, 160 are females. 2)Support at least 200 Yi and Miao minority people to join organic honey production, their annual income increased about $4900. 3)1868 ha of the community forest are better protected and 56.25 tons of CO2 emission reduced per year. 4)12 species of Grade One National Protected Plants and 23 species of Grade Two National Protected Plants are better protected. 5)conservation mainstreamed in the 3 communities and their productive landscapes.ICCA registration completed. 6) Guidelines on organic honey production and certification , Guidelines on centralized biogas construction and management and Guidelines on ICCA registration completed.

China