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
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