7 Years of Protection, No Tree Has Been Illegally Cut Down | The Forest Ecology in CBCGDF Baoqing Manchurian Ash Conservation Area Has Initially Restored

In the summer of 2017, volunteers from the China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) discovered a concentrated distribution area of​Manchurian ash (Fraxinus mandshurica) in Wandashan District, about 60 kilometers southwest of Baoqing County, Shuangyashan City, Heilongjiang Province. Manchurian ash is a national second-level protected plant.

CBCGDF volunteers found that there had been serious tree-cutting incidents here for two consecutive years, as well as problems such as overgrazing and excessive deforestation for planting. So they applied to the CBCGDF to establish a Manchurian ash conservation area to protect the natural habitat of this area with Manchurian ash as the flagship species. The CBCGDF Baoqing Manchurian ash Conservation Area (CCAfa) covers an area of​about 1,000 acres.

After the establishment of the CCAfa, the local rare tree species including Manchurian ash were investigated many times. More than 200 protection warning signs were erected around the periphery of this area to remind villagers not to enter the CCAfa to collect wild medicinal materials or graze at will. Regular patrols were carried out on the habitats in this area. During the patrols, those who entered the CCAfa to dig medicinal materials and graze were promptly dissuaded and persuaded to protect this rare Manchurian ash habitat. In 2017, the CCAfa also adopted rescue methods such as cuttings and grafting to plant more than 1,200 Manchurian ash  trees, and the survival rate reached more than 95% that year.

After more than 7 years of protection, the forest ecosystem of the CCAfa has shown initial signs of recovery, and there has been no illegal logging of Manchurian ash  trees in the local area.

Biodiversity Conservation in Our Neighborhood (BCON) is a global biodiversity solution initiated by CBCGDF's Jinfeng ZHOU which's designed to mitigate the rapid loss of biodiversity through people-centered approaches. As an innovative initiative for biodiversity conservation in the era of ecological civilization, Biodiversity Conservation in Our Neighborhood is a people-engaged solution, encouraging active contributions from the public in reducing biodiversity footprints in daily life, engaging in nature conservation, and actively contributing to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As of Jan 2024, over 210 community conservation areas have been established to carry out Biodiversity Conservation in Our Neighborhood. BCON has been recognized as one of the global solutions for nature at the 2023 Paris Peace Forum.

 
Original article:https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/z6LIXNRG6JBV8BLdo6ARyw
Translator: Daisy
Checked by Sara

Editor: Daisy

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