The project site is located in the hinterland of Mt. Shiwan Dashan in Gungxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The village has 4200ha. of forest among them 2000ha. are water conservation forest. The total population is 1119 with 242 households and 92% population are Yao ethnic minority people. The main income of local community are star anise and Chinese cinnamon planting, harvesting pine resin and out-migration for work. The annual average income is $208.

Main problems:
1.Traditional culture and forest management knowledge are gradually destructed with modern economic development; due to lacking of public affairs management mechanism, deforestation and other natural resources exploitation damage natural environment
2. Poor community's livelihood relies on natural resources and they are lacking of capacity of sustainable use of these resources
3. Community is lacking of infrastructure investment and environment sanitary condition is deteriorating

Solutions/activities:
1. organize training and study visit for community to raise awareness and broaden community's horizons
2. support community to improve their public affairs management mechanism and establish community conserved area
3. develop community mutual support fund and improve livelihood through community oriented medicinal plants cultivation, poultry breeding and ecotourism and capacity building
4. facilitate community to establish mechanism for waste and pesticide management
5. conduct community participatory survey on traditional medicinal plants and edible plants; document communicate and revive traditional knowledge and culture of biodiversity conservation
6. develop project outreach materials and organize project summary workshop to further impact government, NGOs and communities

Anticipated results/outcomes:
1. 50 community people's awareness raised through study visits and training; community public affairs management mechanism fully discussed and established
2. 2-3 community conserved areas established and 133ha. of area and important species protected including fokienia hodginsii, Hainan polyphylla and Amentotaxus yunnanensis.
3. 50 people gained knowledge of poultry breeding; 30 households had the skills of medicinal plant cultivation and their income increased 500CNY per year; 20 households started beekeeping and their income increased 160CNY per year; 5 community mutual support group established
4. waste management mechanism and facilities established in 1-2 natural village; pesticide management mechanism established in 1-2 natural village and 20 households reduced 1kg of pesticide using
5. Yao Ethnic Minority People Traditional Culture and Resource Plants hand book completed and disseminated to 500 people; 30 community people trained by traditional plant knowledge and 30 students trained by natural education
6. 25 people including local government officials directly influenced by project summary workshop and other 300 people indirectly influenced by project brochure