LANDSCAPE CONSERVATION
Creating a plan for sustainable park management
National Nature Parks, Hubei, China
Introducing a species back into the wild after over a century has been a significant challenge. Where the demand for land is intense, to enable people to grow food in order to survive, the challenges are magnified sifgnificantly ...
The demand for land
Finding a suitable location for the introduction of a Class I animal (fortunately not a predator) has been a challenge. But even after a site has been identified there is still much work to be done, especially if the local people - most of whom are living in poverty - are to benefit from the presence of a species that is taking up large areas of land that are well-suited for growing crops such as cotton or rape seed.
Landscape Conservation work closely with the Hubei Shishou Milu National Nature Reserve, firstly in partnership to develop a masterplan, then through providing guidance and advice on implementing the plan.
farmers and gatherers
people
wetlands of Hubei
water
extinct in the wild
wildlife
the Milu, or Pere David's deer, is officially classified ass extinct in the wild. These animals live in a reserve, but some of their bretheren have escaped and now live quite peacefully in the reed beds along the Yangtze - where they lived more than a thousand years ago
farmers and gatherers
people
The rural poor communities are a long way from the booming cities of China. Many are still dependent on subsistence farming for food, and growing as much of the two revenue-creating crops as possible - cotton and oil-seed rape. Both crops require intense use of pesticides, and both have significant negative impact on the landscape.
On small farmland patches, where every plant has value, the presence of a large browser such as the Milu can mean the difference between growing enough crops to sustain the family or not. Landscape Conservation has been working with Reserve authorities and national Government to look at new schemes whereby people can benefit from the presence of globally high value widlife, rather than suffer the burden of protecting the species.
wetlands of Hubei
water
lying in the so-called 'oven of China', the Hubei Shishou National Nature Reserve is subject to extremes of heat in the summer, and flooding in the winters. Water management is crucial; the farmers depend on having a source of clean drinking water for household use, as well as for watering the main crops of cotton and oil-seed rape.
Initially taking the lead role in developing relations between local people and the Reserve authorities, Landscape Conservation continue to support the Reserve through its advisory services, providing technical support to the permanent staff and recommendations to the Provincial government of Hubei.