Evolution of Ecosystem Approaches in Yangtze River Management

Guangchun Lei

School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University

14th International Riversymposium, Sept 26-29, Brisbane

20% Chinese Territory

30% Chinese Population

35% China’s Water Res.

40% Chinese GDP

Origins at Tanggula Mountain in Tibet Plateau, Yangtze River flows 6300 km to reach Shanghai

生态规律However, the rivers has been largely manipulated• 60% wetland lost

• 3000 km Dyke

• >1,000 big dams

• Water Diversion

Living Yangtze

Deforestation, Reclamation for Grain Production

Changes of Forest Ecosystems (1900-

1998)0

200000

400000

600000

800000

1000000

1200000

Forest habitat types

Are

a (s

q.km

.)

1900s1998

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

1700 1750 1800 1850 1900 1949 1960 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2003 2008

%覆盖率 National Forest Coverage Rate

Upstream Deforestation

+

Downstream Wetland Reclamation

║

Dongting Is Disappearing

Disappearance of the “Thousand-lake State”

in Jianghan Plain

江汉平原千湖之国的消失

Dyke Has to Be Heighten Year after Years

Flooding: a Natural Phenomenon that Maintains Ecological Processes (Central Yangtze Floodplain)

Rising Dykes Have Cut off Natural Links between the River & Its

Flood Plains (thousands of lakes)

Satellite image of Yangtze Estuary

19921997

1999

Increasing Frequency of Flooding

00.10.20.30.40.50.60.70.80.9

1

1300s 1600s 1930s 1980s 1990s 2000s

The More Invested for Hydrological Engineering, the Worse in Flooding

Increase of Water Works Investment

The More Invest in Hydrological Work, the

Less Fish

3

《 0.1

1960 1997 － 2001

Fries of 4 Major economic fish (billion)

2

0.41995 2001

Eel Fries

100 million

430

《 100

1954 1996 － 2001

Total Fish Catching (1000 Tones)

324

《 161996 2001

Crabs (Tones)

Biodiversity Crisis 100 Species Threatened

1998 flooding led to the promulgation of 32-character river basin management policy

Upstream vegetation recovery

Down stream wetland restoration

WWF Partnership for Living Yangtze Programm (1999-)

• Policy and Modeling Studies (Hydrological Modeling, Social Economic Modeling and Ecological Modeling)

• Pilot Demonstration (Wetland Restoration, Alternative Livelihood, Sustainable Development)

• Communication and Magnification

适 洪 农 业

平垸行洪后的农民，失去了原有的生产资料——耕地，却换来了价值更高的湿地资源。为保护和可持续利用湿地资源，世界自然基金会（ WWF) 和湖南青少年发展基金会 (CYDF) 在地方政府的支持下，会同专家与当地村民，对西畔山洲垸未来新的产业结构调整进行了“参与式规划”，将新产业门类分解成面上项目、重点项目和试点项目，鼓励村民自己做主选择新的适洪产业。

村民兴致勃勃地参与产业结构调整规划

The ProcessesMotivated farmers

First Step: farmers initially choose reliable, traditional income generation activity

Second Step: diversification income generation (Ducks, Chickens, Organic Fishery, etc.)

Experimental Projects:

Cattle, goats, other wetland sustainable use

Ecotourism

1999 年底，世界自然基金会 (WWF) 与中国青少年发展基金会（ CYDF ）联合，选定西畔山洲垸做为平垸行洪示范项目基地，会同当地政府和农民，共同研究探讨平垸行洪和湿地恢复过程中的可持续发展模式 , 并从技术、资金等方面支持和鼓励当地农民发展新的洪水型替代产业。

移到高处，有了新房没了田

The Polder Was Restored as Wetlands in 1999

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

1998 2001

Three Years LaterIncome RMB/year/family

We are not afraid of flood any more

4 Years After Restoration

2,000 ha pilot Restoration

65,000 ha Restored in Dongting Lake region

> 100,000 ha Restored in Central Yangtze

Wetland Restoration in Poyang Lake 鄱阳湖退田还湖

How to Sustain These Changes?

Need A Mechanism to ensure coordination of future effort in the right direction

• > 400 Million People Live in• > 19 Provincial Governments within river basin• > 10 Ministries responsible for resources

management

All of them have the power to change future development directions

How to Sustain These Changes?

IRBM

China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and

Development Task Force (2003-2004)

Institutions and Legislation

Stakeholder and Public Participation

Economic Measures and Incentives

Develop and apply IRBM-related technologies

IRBM Task Force Recommendations

√[Yangtze Forum]

√[Eco-compensation]

√[Recycle Economy]

Significant Impact of Sand Mining and Dams

Appeared

80% of the sediments trapped in the reservoir, clear water flushes river bed downstream

However Impact of Fast Development on Rivers Far Exceeded Imagination

Wetland Restoration in Central Yangtze reached a limited success only, new challenges

may be even more serious

Asymmetric Erosion of River bed versus Lake

Growing of Chongming Island soon be Reversed

19921997

1999

See Level Raising Worsen Coast Erosion

Case Study of Poyang Lake(The Largest Chinese Freshwater Lake)

Satellite Image of June-Aug Satellite Image of Dec-Feb

A trend towards prolonged dry season

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

1960-1969 1970-1979 1980-1989 1990-1999 2000-2008时间

平均累积天数

<10m 〈9m 〈8m

单位：m

Local Government Proposal: Damming the Lake

All related provincial government, in particular Shanghai, Anhui expressed concerns

International societies, Ramsar, IUCN, ICF, as well as related countries worried

Why?1956-2008年星子站水位与水鸟迁徙变化规律

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

9月上

9月中

9月下

10月上

10月中

10月下

11月上

11月中

11月下

12月上

12月中

12月下

1月上

1月中

1月下

2月上

2月中

2月下

3月上

3月中

3月下

/m

水位

25%保证率

水位旬平均值

75%保证率

15m

13.75m

12.85m

11.35m

Arrival of Migratory Birds

Grass growing

It also has to block flooding water from Yangtze

Due to Significantly Increased Flooding Risks

Disturb Migratory Fishes

Ecosystem Management Recommendations

• Biodiversity, Flood Mitigation, Clean Water and Culture are by far the most important ecosystem services of Poyang Lake

• Any project in upstream, or downstream may have significant impact on its ecosystem services, and therefore, an integrated river basin management should be in place

• Other services (fishery, raw material, navigations, etc, etc ） should give way to the above priorities. Dam option should never considered. However, local community should be properly compensated

Principle Wetland restoration

Fishing Ban

Pollution Control

Conservation

Lake Dam**

Fair

Democracy

Linkage

Ecological Economy

Priority for Conservation

Cautionary

Scale

Long-term goal

Adaptive

Balance

Information

Participation

Ecosystem Approaches Assessment on Current Program

Conclusions• Yangtze River Management Experienced from

sectoral to multi-sector dialogue transition, but challenges remains

• IRBM is the key mechanism to ensure river management integrated with social economic development, which can greatly help the basin wide dialogue

• Ecosystem Approach principles offered simple methodology for the implementation of IRBM

THANK YOU