A new project is to be introduced to protect the giant panda. This will involve forming a corridor in the Qinling Mountains in a bid to link up their fragmented pockets of habitat and expand their living space. The habitat for giant pandas in this area is expected to come under pressure within the next three years.

Li Ning, Chief of the Giant Panda Division of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), describes this cooperative, protective project launched by the World Nature Fund and the Shaaxi Forestry Department.

Five belts are planned to make up the link corridor. They will be located in Houzhenzi in Zhouzhi County, Dashuping in the Taibai Bureau, Erlangba in Taibai County, Jiuchihe in Yangxian County and Canziping in the Ningxi Bureau. Their construction will involve marking out the territory, managing the existing forestation, introducing new forestation, fire prevention measures, culvert construction, development of the local communities, scientific research and so on.

Forest management and fire prevention will be implemented with the aid of funds allocated for the protection of natural forests. Culvert construction and community initiatives will be implemented via ancillary projects. Overall completion of this massive undertaking is anticipated in 2005.

Each belt will be laid out with a core and associated transitional zones taking account of the numbers of the giant pandas and the terrain in the vicinity. Local conditions will also determine the nature of other diverse activities ranging from planting to administration.

The guiding principle will be the need to conserve an integrated living environment for the giant pandas. Every effort will be devoted to developing bio-resources and promoting population exchange within the species and to the development of giant pandas generally in the Qinling Mountains.

"This is a project which will involve conservation work, improve conservation facilities and develop the economies of the local communities. It will use sound scientific principles to establish priorities and plan for the effective functioning of the new giant panda corridors," said Li Ning.

Experts in the field claim that the construction of the Qinling Giant Panda Corridor' will serve to better link the living areas of the giant pandas, expand their living space, establish an integrated population in the Qinling Mountains reserve and improve the currently fragmented nature of their habitat.

This project will help to promote exchange within the gene pool of the population, increasing giant panda numbers and strengthening the species. It will also help conserve other endangered species. It will protect, reinstate and enlarge the forests. It will tackle soil erosion, conserve water resources and improve water quality to the benefit of the local eco-environment. Through such inputs as training and the introduction of technology, the project will pave the road to economic development for local residents.

(china.org.cn translated by Zhang Tingting, July 25, 2002)