Targeted Location and Population:

Project sites are located in Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan Province, which is inside of Three River Parallel World Natural Heritage and the edge of Baima Snow Mountain National Nature Reserve.

Tibetan is the major ethnic group and there is some Lisu minorities and most people believe Tibetan Buddhism. Project sites has 361 households with 990 people.

Problems:

The project site is located in the sensitive region for climate change and biodiversity hot spot in the world. The economic development and climate change have significant impact on local biodiversity and communities. But it is difficult to develop practical plan and conduct action due to lack of understanding to key protected targets, threat and causes, data and information for climate change impact and organic pollutant.

Climate change and economic development have significant impact on biodiversity and communities which is one of the big challenges to the local people. Along with the deep influence from outside, less traditional knowledge was integrated into conservation methodology and traditional conservation awareness is weak.

Firewood collection and utilization has significant impact on hard and broad leaf forests which is one of the unique ecosystems in Hengduan Mountain region; over collection of wild mushroom and medical plants damaged local biodiversity.

Solutions and planned activities:
1. Conduct field survey and identify key protected targets for biodiversity, threats to targets and sources, challenges and impact of climate change (glacier degrade) with integrated methods of Conservation Action Plan and traditional knowledge.

2. Develop comprehensive Conservation Action Plan from the view of community to provide plans and method to community-based conservation.

3. Develop a different conservation approach of integrating traditional knowledge with scientific methods to develop community own Conservation Action Plan.

4. Promote solar water system which can reduce 30% of wood consumption and benefit unique forests; implement ecotourism project to promote biodiversity conservation and community sustainable development.

5. Improve and raise biodiversity conservation and climate change awareness of communities through training and project activities.

Anticipated Results/Immediate Outputs of Project:

1. Compile a report on biodiversity conservation situation and climate change impact to project site based on field survey; community can use basic survey methods.

2. 1-5 key protected targets and major threats to local biodiversity identified;3 major impacts of climate change to local communities identified; 3-4 strategies actions to address biodiversity and climate change identified;implementation plan developed.

3. New solar water system installed in 30 householders; new energy efficient stoves installed in 30 householders; technical and awareness training conducted to the locals; Community Matsutaki mushroom and natural resources management system established.

4. Project outreach meeting attended by main stakeholders; 500 booklets are delivered to local community; one video is produced as training materails;2 exhibitions organized in communities for one month duration visited by more than 1000 people. Local people has basic knowledge of biodiversity and climaet change.