Yunnan, China's most biologically diverse province, has a wealth of experience in cataloging and conserving its plant and animal species, which it is sharing with partners around the globe in international cooperations and initiatives.
The southwestern province, which borders Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar, is home to more than 18,000 high plant species and 1,836 vertebrate species, accounting for more than half of China's total in both categories, according to an article published in science journal Springer.
Among these plant and animal species are a vast array of those that are endangered and protected, which has meant Yunnan has been tasked with protecting its biodiversity over the years from dangers such as human activities and exploitation.
Utilizing its wealth of experience, Yunnan has reached out to others to work collaboratively in biodiversity conservation.
One such example is the China-Laos cross-border Asian elephant conservation collaboration project.
Asian elephants, a first-class nationally protected species in China, are found in about a dozen countries.
In China, their numbers have increased from around 150 in the 1960s to approximately 300 today, according to Xiong Chaoyong, deputy director of the Asian Elephant Conservation Management Center in Yunnan's Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture.
He noted that some wild Asian elephants living near the China-Laos border frequently cross between the two countries, which necessitates a joint conservation approach. "The government of China initiated joint conservation efforts with the Lao government in 2006," Xiong said, adding that they have collaborated to protect these elephants with China providing technical support, equipment and funds.
This partnership has established a 200,000-hectare joint Asian elephant protection area and implemented over 40 conservation measures, allowing elephants to safely travel between the two countries.
"The ability of Asian elephants to freely traverse the border indicates excellent ecological protection in the region. Also, cross-border conservation is crucial for protecting species, ensuring natural interactions between Asian elephants in Yunnan, China, and Laos, and preventing genetic degradation," said Chen Fei, director of the Asian Elephant Research Center at the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.
"Our team has conducted surveys and monitoring of populations and habitats in the cross-border area, which shows a healthy and growing elephant population and improving habitat quality," Chen said. "Our next step is to expand the joint protection area and strengthen the collaboration efforts."
Yunnan's commitment to biodiversity extends beyond animal conservation. In plant conservation, Yunnan collaborates with countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, offering financial and technical support to tackle biodiversity challenges together.
The China-Uzbekistan Global Allium Garden Kunming Center serves as a prime example of how Yunnan is using its own resources to support global biodiversity conservation.
"The commonly known scallions and onions are just a small part of the allium genus. There are nearly 1,000 species of allium worldwide, some of which are highly ornamental and produce large flowers. Additionally, we can extract valuable compounds from these plants," said Niu Yang, deputy director of the Kunming Botanical Garden at the Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
"Central Asia and southwestern China have a rich diversity of allium species. Establishing the Global Allium Garden in China and Uzbekistan leverages our unique geographical advantages," said Niu.
The China-Uzbekistan Global Allium Garden has two centers — the Kunming Center at the Kunming Botanical Garden, and the Tashkent Center at the Institute of Botany of the Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences. The Kunming Center opened in April 2018, and the Tashkent Center began construction in May 2018.
In April 2019, at a State Council Information Office conference, the construction of the China-Uzbekistan Global Allium Garden was highlighted as an important demonstration platform for technological support in the Belt and Road Initiative.
According to Niu, the two centers have collected and conserved around 200 allium species, making the garden a crucial base for the conservation and research of allium species, particularly wild ones.
Beyond specific projects, Yunnan is collaborating with Southeast Asian nations to help them assess their local biodiversity resources and train local professionals, boosting regional biodiversity research.
The Southeast Asia Biodiversity Research Institute was established in 2015 at the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, CAS. So far, it has conducted many joint scientific expeditions with Southeast Asian nations, discovering over 800 new species of plants and animals in the region.
From 2016 to last year, it had enrolled 143 students from Southeast Asia, helping these nations boost their capability in biodiversity research.
Contact the writers at yangran1@chinadaily.com.cn
URL： http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202410/11/WS67086287a310f1265a1c6f7f_1.html
