China, People's Republic of : Strengthening Capacity for Wetland Protection for Sanjiang Plain

Agriculture, natural resources and rural development / Water-based natural resources management

The People's Republic of China''s (PRC) Twelfth Five-Year Plan (2011-2015) supports the long-term goal of building a harmonious and moderately prosperous (xiaokang) society through livelihood improvement, and regionally balanced and environmentally sustainable growth. ADB has been supporting projects on lakes and wetland protection in the PRC. ADB''s 2011-2015 country partnership strategy (CPS) for the PRC supports the government's overarching strategic goal of building a xiaokang society by focusing on three strategic pillars: inclusive growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional cooperation and integration. The proposed TA is fully consistent with the PRC''s Twelfth Five-Year Plan (2011-2015) and ADB''s CPS for the PRC by promoting sustainable management of natural resources and protecting globally significant biodiversity in the Sanjiang Plain.

The impact of the TA will be the improved management of natural resources to protect globally significant biodiversity in the Sanjiang Plain. Performance target and indicator for the impact is the conservation status of eight key globally threatened species in the Sanjiang Plain lifted from the lists of endangered-to-vulnerable species by 2020. The target will be confirmed during the TA fact-finding mission.

The outcome of the TA will be continuous implementation and expansion of the achievements of the Sanjiang Plain Wetlands Protection Project. Performance targets and indicators for the outcome are (i) wetland restoration program functioning in at least xx WNRs in the Sanjiang Plain by 2018, (ii) species recovery programs functioning in at least xx WNRs in the Sanjiang Plain by 2018, and (iii) alternative livelihood development projects implemented in at least 10 WNRs in the Sanjiang Plain by 2018. The targets will be confirmed during the TA fact-finding mission. The outputs of the TA will be (i) expansion of relevant HPG staff's capacities for wetlands protection developed under the Sanjiang Plain Wetlands Protection Project, and (ii) dissemination and sharing of the wetlands protection models and knowledge developed or accumulated in the Sanjiang Plain.

The Sanjiang Plain wetlands in Heilongjiang Province are some of the most species-rich ecosystems in Asia. However, the wetlands and neighboring forestlands have shrunk to one fifth of their original size in the last 5 decades because of increasing population and crop production. Flora and fauna in wetland nature reserves are threatened by farmland encroachment and water resource exploitation.

An Asian Development Bank (ADB) loan for $15 million cofinanced by a Global Environment Facility (GEF) grant of $12.14 million for the Sanjiang Plain Wetlands Protection Project (the project) was approved in 2005. The project comprised five components: (i) watershed management, (ii) wetland nature reserve management, (iii) alternative livelihood programs, (iv) education and capacity building, and (v) project management. The executing agency was the Heilongjiang provincial government (HPG) represented by the Heilongjiang Provincial Forestry Department. The project was completed successfully in August 2012.

There were some achievements in the project. Some key gaps in and challenges to wetland reservation have been identified. To upscale some of the successes and tackle remaining challenges, the HPG requests ADB''s continuous support through a capacity development TA to (i) expand their wetland protection capacity developed under the project; (ii) disseminate the wetlands protection models developed under the project; (iii) share the knowledge accumulated under the project domestically and internationally; and (iv) monitor the benefits and impacts of the project, and collect information for possible scaling up of the project activities in a second phase investment.

Improved management of natural resources to protect globally significant biodiversity in Sanjiang Plain

Capacity established for continued implementation and expansion of the achievements of the Sanjiang Plain Wetlands Protection Project

1. Expansion of relevant Heilongjiang provincial government staff''s capacities for wetland protection developed under the Sanjiang Plain Wetlands Protection Project

2. Expansion and dissemination of wetland protection models developed under the Sanjiang Plain Wetlands Protection Project and sharing of knowledge developed or accumulated for Sanjiang Plain

Through TA activities and workshops, many valuable lessons were shared, suggestions were made to improve and strengthen management of nature reserves, and knowledge of relevant agencies' staff was enriched.

Through TA activities and workshops, many valuable lessons were shared, suggestions were made to improve and strengthen management of nature reserves, and knowledge of relevant agencies' staff was enriched.

A review workshop for the knowledge product was held on 11 Mat 2015. The final draft knowledge product will be submitted to ADB and TMO by 30 June 2015.