Conservation of Hainan’s Largest Tropical Forest -Yinggeling

China Programme

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The Rich Biodiversity in Yinggeling

Tropical Forest under Threat

As yet though, the forest remains subject to illegal hunting,

trapping, fishing, collection of non-timber forest products,

small-scale logging and slash-and-burn.

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Biodiversity Surveys in Yinggeling

• In 2005/06, three biodiversity surveys in Yinggeling Provincial Nature Reserve were conducted in collaboration with Chinese experts and the Hainan Wildlife Conservation Centre of the Hainan Provincial Forestry Department.

Exciting discoveries included a new species of plant (a Begonia sp. Herb), 11 species of plants and animals previously unrecorded in Hainan (including the tree frog Theloderma asperrum and several Herbs Carex spp.), 3 species new to China (including the orchid Nephelaphyllum pulchrum), many nationally protected species, as well as the Pale-capped Pigeon (Columba punicea), which had been unrecorded in Hainan for decades.

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Biodiversity Surveys in Yinggeling

Socio-economic Survey

• A preliminary socio-economic survey to understand the human population size (18,337 people in 103 villages) and distribution, and human use of natural resources, in the reserve area.

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Further Conservation Actions

• Initial discussions with representatives of certain communities, including those inside the reserve boundaries, exploring their development goals and considerations to ensure their interests are not compromised by reserve establishment.

• Agreement to fund

three of the first six

management stations,

to be built at strategic

locations around the

reserve.

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