Bio-diversity

Targeted Location and Population: Techeng Island is located in Haitou Community, Xiashan District, Zhanjiang City, Guangdong Province of China.Techeng Island is abundance in wetland resources and categories, and biodiversity.There are 96 species fishes living or migrating in coastal wetland of Techeng Island.The Pacific Humpback Dolphin (Sousa chinensis) living in Zhanjiang Harbor and Leizhou Bay is a precious endangered global species occurred in tropical and subtropical estuaries. The coastal wetland of Techeng Island is one of the important stopover sites for migrant birds. The residential population is about 4,500 and population density is 1,250 people per km2. In 2008, the GDP of Xiashan District was 15,036 RMB per capita. The major livelihoods of the residents are fishery, aquaculture and farming. Problems: With rapid population growth and economic development, the coastal wetland of Te Cheng Island is currently under environmental pressure as: 1. Human disturbance incurring the hydrological change around the Island, resulting in the coastal wetland degradation and loss in Techeng Island. The problem of coastal erosion and mangrove shrinking was obvious, especially in recent years due to the decrease of sand transportation of upstream area, dredging construction, and shipping. The coastal erosion was severely threatening the mangrove, sea grass bed and coastal belt forest. 2. Conversion, aquaculture and urban development confliction with wetland conservation. The mariculture around Techeng Island is one of the main income sources for the local communities. Most of the aquaculture ponds set up within mangroves and tidal flats by reclamation. The conversion of natural wetland increased the income of communities to some extent. But it incurred the huge loss on ecological security and biodiversity conservation irretrievably. 3. Over exploitation of biological resources. Destruction of forests, over-fishing, illegal hunting, and timber logging showed that the local communities had inadequate realization on the importance and patterns of wetland conservation and wise use, and were to be enhanced by environmental education. 4. Water pollution. It came mainly from wastewater of mariculture, and sewage of local residence and resorts. The polluted water contained large amount of organic matters and aquaculture medicine with complicated ingredient, impacting the marine lives. Some aquaculture medicine even brought fatal impacts to the hydrological lives. Solutions/ planned activities : 1. Establishing a management committee.The committee will integrate the authorities and responsibilities of stakeholders, and develop an integrated cross-sectoral management plan for approval and dissemination. 2. Protecting the existing mangrove, sea grass and coastal belt forest strictly. The conservation and rehabilitation of mangroves will be conducted with native species-based plantation. Meanwhile, the artificial sea grass replanting will be attempted to extent the area of sea grass bed. The native plant species will be chosen as substrate dominant species to develop the coastal belt forest combined with the Casuarina species. 3. Popularization of the outcomes of National High-tech Project (863 Project). The mangrove-aquaculture will be integrated to pilot eco-aquaculture in the fishery households, enhance aquaculture quantity and quality, increase local communities incomes, reduce aquaculture deceases and baits, and decrease aquaculture pollutant discharge. 4. Development of coastal wetland ecotourism plan. Under the guidance of scientific investigation and planning. The environmental friendly activities will be promoted within the local communities and tourists to minimize the environmental pressure to the coastal wetland created by tourism development. 5. Enhancing the environmental awareness in the local communities. The generation-based environmental educational programme will be developed for the adult laborers and young students. Considering the females are major laborers for the tidal flat capture fishery, the scientific training course on capture fishery will be conducted to lead them into the activities for wetland wise use. Anticipated results/ immediate outputs of this project: 1. compile a copy of cross-sectoral integrated management plan; about 2000 sets of questionnaire are delivered to the locals; about 5000 sets of educational booklet or posters are delivered to public; about 100 participants attend wetland integrated managementworkshop. 2. about 150 persons attend coastal wetland conservation and rehabilitation seminar; about 30 ha of mangrove, 2 ha of sea grass bed, and 30 ha of coastal belt forest are conserved; about 10 ha of mangrove are planted; about 10 ha of multilayer coastal belt forest is established. 3. about 20 households attend the eco-aquaculture training; about 700 sets of eco-aquaculture booklets are printed and delivered to the locals; about 2 ha of integrated mangrove-aquaculture system is established, enhancing 10% aquaculture production and reducing 10% aquaculture pollutant discharge; conduct environmental monitoring of aquaculture;develop a set of ecotourism plan. 4. Organize the meeting for project outcomes summaryand introduction attended by 200 persons and compile one policy recommendation

China