United Nations Development Programme Country: China PROJECT DOCUMENT Project Title: CBPF-MSL: Strengthening the management effectiveness of the protected area network in the Daxing’anling Landscape UNDAF Outcome(s): Outcome 1: Government and other stakeholders ensure environmental sustainability, address climate change, and promote a green, low carbon economy. UNDP Strategic Plan Environment and Sustainable Development Primary Outcome: Mobilizing environmental financing UNDP Strategic Plan Secondary Outcome: Mainstreaming environment and energy Expected CP Outcome(s): Outcome 4: Low carbon and other environmentally sustainable strategies and technologies are adapted widely to meet China’s commitments and compliance with Multilateral Environmental Agreements; and Outcome 5. The vulnerability of poor communities and ecosystems to climate change is reduced. Expected CPAP Output(s): Output 4.1 Policy and capacity barriers for the sustained and widespread adoption of low carbon and other environmentally sustainable strategies and technologies removed, and Output 5.1 A strengthened policy, legal, institutional framework for the sustainable use of land, water, the conservation of biodiversity, and other natural resources in fragile ecosystems is enforced. Executing Entity/Implementing Partner: State Forestry Administration of China (SFA) through the Heilongjiang Daxing’anling Forestry Management Authority and the Inner Mongolia Daxing’anling Forestry Management Authority Implementing Entity/Responsible Partners: State Forestry Administration of China (SFA) through the umbrella of the China Biodiversity Partnership Framework and Action Plan (CBPF) and Main Streams of Life - Wetland PA System Strengthening Programme UNDP GEF PIMS 4824 / GEF Project ID 4868 Brief description The Daxing’anling Landscape comprises a vast wilderness of 189,775 km² of cold temperate forest, un-tamed rivers and extensive wetlands in the most northern and coldest part of China. It supports globally significant biodiversity, exhibits unique forest and wetland ecosystems, and provides a vital water source for one of NE Asia’s major rivers – the Heilongjiang (Amur River). Wetlands cover 14.4% of the area, and are dominated by herbaceous and forested swamps. With a population of less than 1 million, population density is very low. Since the 1950s, the vast coniferous forests have been extensively and unsustainably logged, with massive impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services. With approaching exhaustion of the timber supplies, major policy changes have limited forestry to more sustainable levels, supported the establishment of new protected areas, and have provided eco-compensation payments to former foresters. The new vision is for a diverse economy founded on sustainable use of the area’s rich environmental assets including its biodiversity and protected areas. The project will play a key role in supporting this policy shift. Shared between Heilongjiang Province and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the Daxing’anling Landscape is uniquely under the administration of the State Forestry Administration which manages both forestry and nature conservation activities (and many other public services) through two provincial Forestry Management Authorities (FMAs). The region boasts 43 PAs (nature reserves and wetland parks) covering 16.6% of the territory. However, further additions are required to provide adequate cover to threatened species, corridors for migratory species and adaptation to climate change. Major threats to wetland biodiversity include forest fires, agricultural encroachment, overharvesting of timber and non-timber forest products, illegal harvests and new pressures from tourism and associated PRODOC 4824 MSL Daxing’anling Page 1 infrastructure, mining and climate change. The internal challenges to the effective management of the Daxing’anling’s PA system are significant. Whilst the protected areas often have many staff, they lack the training and institutional mechanisms for PA management. With falling income from forestry they also lack sufficient finances for their operations. There is a large gap in finance, skills and equipment for conserving biodiversity and managing human activities within the protected areas. Local community participation in protected areas management is limited, with no participation in governance and minimal co-management. The project will strengthen the systemic, institutional and operational capacity to manage the Daxing’anling’s PAs more effectively. It will mainstream biodiversity and the PA system into provincial socio-economic development priorities, in order to avoid future conflicts and ensure long-term financial sustainability. It will also support the FMAs to effectively plan, resource and manage an enhanced PA System, including filling gaps in ecosystem representation through PA expansion. A targeted capacity building programme will address key deficiencies in skills, and information management systems will be enhanced. Best practice participatory approaches to conserving biodiversity, managing human activities and PA management will be introduced at two demonstration sites for replication throughout the PA network. The global environmental benefits of the project will be achieved by: (i) significant reduction in the threats to global biodiversity from incompatible activities; (ii) formal protection of an additional 1.1 million ha including 0.78 million ha of natural wetlands providing improved security for threatened and migratory species, and possibilities to adapt to climate change; (iii) improved management effectiveness at PA level (from a METT baseline ranging from 30 to 53 (average of 44), to a final METT target average score >55 and both demonstration sites increasing by at least 20 from their baseline score; (iv) improvement of overall PA institutional capacity (from a baseline of 49% (Heilongjiang) and 41% (Inner Mongolia) in the Capacity Assessment Scorecard, to a final value >60% for Heilongjiang section and >55% for Inner Mongolia; and (v) increased financial sustainability of PAs (from a financial sustainability baseline score of 16% for both provincial sections, to a final value >30%). Increased community participation and co-management within the PA System will be supported by improved public awareness of the value of conserving biodiversity. Programme Period: 60 months Total budget: US$ 28,044,679 Atlas Award ID: 70975 Project ID: 84703 GEF US$ 3,544,679 PIMS # 4824 Start date: October 15th, 2013 Co-Financing: End Date October 14th, 2018 Government in-cash US$ 23,500,000 Management Arrangement: NEX UNDP US$ 1,000,000 Agreed by Ministry of Finance of China (MOF): Date/Month/Year Agreed by UNDP: Date/Month/Year Agreed by State Forestry Administration of China (SFA) on behalf of the Heilongjiang Daxing’anling Forestry Management Authority and the Inner Mongolia Daxing’anling Forestry Management Authority: Date/Month/Year PRODOC 4824 MSL Daxing’anling Page 2 Table of Contents List of tables and figures ................................................................................................................ 5 SECTION I: Elaboration of the Narrative………………………………………………………………..8 PART I: Situation Analysis……………………………………………………………………………..8 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 8 Context and global significance ..................................................................................................... 9 Environmental context ................................................................................................................... 9 Global Significance of Daxing’anling’s Biodiversity .................................................................. 11 Socio-economic context and land use .......................................................................................... 14 Protected area system: current status and coverage ..................................................................... 16 Institutional context ...................................................................................................................... 18 Policy and Legislative Context .................................................................................................... 20 Threats, root causes and impacts .................................................................................................. 23 Long-term solution, and barriers to achieving the solution .......................................................... 26 Stakeholder Analysis .................................................................................................................... 32 Baseline Analysis ......................................................................................................................... 36 PART II: Strategy……………………………………………………………………………………..40 Project Rationale and Policy Conformity ..................................................................................... 40 Project Goal, Objective, Outcomes and Outputs/activities .......................................................... 42 Project Indicators.......................................................................................................................... 63 Project Risks ................................................................................................................................. 67 Incremental reasoning and expected global, national and local benefits ....................................