Conservation and community development
People sharing in the panda's habitat. From left to right: 1.) Baima woman preparing meal in a traditional kitchen. Baima tribal community. Sichuan Province, China; 2.) Baïma boy with bird's nest and fledglings. Pingwu, Sichuan Province, China; 3.) A bee keeper displays a new system for keeping bees that produces more honey and uses less logs for hives.
A win-win solution
It is only by effectively addressing the needs of local people and encouraging sustainable practices that we can hope to ensure the continued survival of the giant panda.
WWF and the provincial governments in Sichuan, Gansu and Shaanxi have initiated community development projects in villages in the Minshan and Qinling Mountains.
Community development activities include:
Community development activities include:
- Providing the means for local villages to engage in alternative livelihoods and practices that increase their income and reduce the impact on the panda's habitat from environmentally damaging activities such as poaching and logging.
- Providing villages with alternative energy sources such as biogas and wood-saving stoves for cooking and heating.
- Training and educating local communities and government officials on environmental issues and best practice for conservation research.
Report: Species & People
The report Species and People: Linked Futures, includes an extensive case study on the community development work in the Minshan and Qinling Mountains. Read more >>
