Richard PRICE

Development of policy guidelines for the management of wetlands in China

Kiri-ganai Research, Australia

Area and Proportion of China’s Wetlands 湿地总面积及比例（ 3848.56万公顷） (Total = 38.48m ha)

6%

15%

21%22%

Coastal5.94 mil. ha滨海湿地

Coastal5.94 mil. ha滨海湿地

Reservoirs & Pond 2.28 mil. ha库塘湿地

Reservoirs & Pond 2.28 mil. ha库塘湿地

Mashes13.70 mil ha沼泽湿地

Mashes13.70 mil ha沼泽湿地

River8.20 mil. ha河流湿地

River8.20 mil. ha河流湿地

Lake8.35 mil. ha湖泊湿地

Lake8.35 mil. ha湖泊湿地

Intensive aquacultureIndustrial pollution

Urban encroachment

Intensive agriculture

Examples of pressures: Qinhu Wetlands1 km

1) To raise the total number of wetland nature reserves to 713, including 80 Ramsar Sites

2) Have more

than 90% of

natural wetlands effectively conserved

China’s long-term wetland goals (2030):

The project objectives1.Develop 5 sets of guidelines for:

• (1) management planning and (2) monitoring of Internationally Important Wetlands,

• the (3) construction and (4) assessment of National Wetland Parks

• (5) wetland restoration2.Strengthen institutional co-ordination mechanisms

for wetland management in China3.Contribute to the develop related national policy

Project structure

Ramsar Guidelines Lei Guangchun Tian Kun Warren Lee Long

Wetland Parks Guidelines Yuan Jun Li Xiaowen John Howes

Restoration Guidelines An Shuqing Tony Sebastian

Technical

ACEDP Wetlands Project Team

Doug Watkins (Technical leader)

Richard Price(Project Director)

Richard Price(Project Director)

Amanda Bigelow(Gender & Participation)

Don Blackmore(Policy)

Chen Kelin(China Policy & Liaison)

Judy Andrews(Australian Liaison & Support)

Alison Russell-French(Policy, Gender & Participation)

Chen Jing(China Liaison & Support)

Policy & support

Chinese Office of Wetland Conservation & Management

(State Forestry Administration)

Ecological Character DescriptionLei GuangchunTian KunWarren Lee Long

Wetland Coordination Mechanisms Yuan JunZhang XiaohongJohn Howes

Achievements to date: Policy• Prepared and reviewed draft Guidelines

– focussed wetland management (maintaining ecological character)

– identified the fit within the broader policy framework• Reinvigorated the national coordination

mechanism for wetlands– National Implementation of the Ramsar Convention

Committee• Piloted wetland management coordination

arrangements at provincial / municipal level

Policy:RamsarWetlands

State Council

Ministry of Environment Protection

NIRCC (Supported by OWCM, SFA)

Various National Government Agencies

Various National Government Agencies

Nature Reserve Regulations Ramsar matters

Master Plan for each National

Nature Reserve

Guideline on Monitoring of Ramsar Sites

Guideline on Management Planning for Ramsar Sites

Ecological Character Description

CONCEPTUALIZATION OF NATIONAL WETLAND PARK PROPOSAL (by Provincial or Local authorities)

SUBMISSION OF MASTER PLAN FOR SFA APPROVAL

PROCESS OF DEVELOPMENT OF A MASTER PLAN

APPROVAL OF MASTER PLAN BY SFA

CONSTRUCTION OF NWP BASED ON MASTER PLAN AND DESIGN DOCUMENT

ASSESSMENT OF NWP OPERATIONS FOR ACCREDITATION BY SFA

OPERATION AND MANAGEMENT OF NWP (FOR A PERIOD OF UP TO 6 YEARS?)

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ACCREDITATION OF NWP BY SFA (for specific period)

RE-APPLICATION

USE OF ASSESSMENT GUIDELINES

USE OF CONSTRUCTION GUIDELINES

6–8 year re-accreditation cycle

Policy:NationalWetland Parks

Policy:WetlandRestoration

Scenario 1 Site for restoration has been selected

Scenario 2 Objective of restoration has been set

Assessment of the site

Set objective

Assessment of the locality

Select site (s)

Develop proposal

Approval of proposal Feasibility study

Social & Environmental Assessments

Formulate Restoration Master Plan Objectives

↓ Targets/goals

↓ Methodologies

↓ Budgets

↓ Workplans

Implement wetland restoration

Achievements to date: Partnerships

Achievements to date: Capacity Building

Observations• The OWCM in China plays a vital role in focusing effort on

wetland policy and management

• The need for the Guidelines as a means of moving towards China’s wetland policy aspirations has been reinforced

• Capacity at the local level to help achieve the aspirations is limited

• Fortunately, the science capacity is exceptional and filling some gaps in local expertise – but this is not sustainable

• Local aspirations for wetlands can challenge the achievement of national plans

Recommendations• There is great value in adopting (and enhancing) the

Ecological Character Description and ecosystem services approach as the underpinning framework for wetland policy and management in China

• There is an urgent need to address the lack of capacity at the local site level in order to ensure successful compliance with the guidelines

• The Central Government should build on the NIRCC framework to enhance the positive contribution that many agencies can make to sustainable wetland management