14th Riversymposium, keynote presentation from Guangchun Lei (2011)
1. 14th International Riversymposium, Sept 26-29, Brisbane
Evolution of Ecosystem Approaches in
Yangtze River Management
Guangchun Lei
School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University
3. Origins at Tanggula Mountain in Tibet Plateau,
Yangtze River flows 6300 km to reach Shanghai
4.
5. However, the Living Yangtze
rivers has
生态规律
been largely
manipulated
• 60% wetland lost
• 3000 km Dyke
• >1,000 big dams
• Water Diversion
6. Deforestation, Reclamation for Grain Production
1900
1200000
s
1000000
1998
800000
Changes of Forest
Area (sq.km.)
600000
400000
Ecosystems (1900-
200000 1998)
0
E
F
F
E
F
BM
F
F
D
D
B
G
S
S
B
O
S
S
S
S
EO
SE
SL
ST
C
C
TC
TD
DB
DE
DT
LW
TS
SC
SD
TL
SB
SS
RH
TS
H
C
M
C
Forest habitat types
30
25 覆盖率% National Forest Coverage Rate
20
15
10
5
0
1700 1750 1800 1850 1900 1949 1960 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2003 2008
14. The More Invested for Hydrological
Engineering, the Worse in Flooding
Increase of Water
Works Investment
15. The More Invest in Hydrological Work, the
Less Fish
Total Fish
Catching Fries of 4 Major
430 3 economic fish
(1000 Tones)
(billion)
《100 《0.1
1954 1996-2001 1960 1997-2001
2 Eel Fries
324 Crabs
(Tones) 100 million
《16 0.4
1996 2001 1995 2001
17. Upstream vegetation
recovery
Down stream
wetland restoration
1998 flooding led to
the promulgation of
32-character river
basin management
policy
18. WWF Partnership for Living Yangtze
Programm (1999-)
• Policy and Modeling Studies (Hydrological
Modeling, Social Economic Modeling and
Ecological Modeling)
• Pilot Demonstration (Wetland Restoration,
Alternative Livelihood, Sustainable
Development)
• Communication and Magnification
20. First Step: farmers initially
choose reliable, traditional
income generation activity
Second Step: diversification
income generation (Ducks,
Chickens, Organic Fishery, etc.)
Experimental Projects:
Cattle, goats, other wetland
sustainable use
22. The Polder Was Restored as Wetlands in
1999
移到高处,有了新房没了田
1999年底,世界自然基金会(WWF)与中国青少年发展基金会(CYDF)联合,选定西畔山洲垸做
为平垸行洪示范项目基地,会同当地政府和农民,共同研究探讨平垸行洪和湿地恢复过程中的可持
续发展模式 ,幵从技术、资金等方面支持和鼓励当地农民发展新的洪水型替代产业。
23. Three Years Later
We are not
Income afraid of
RMB/year flood any
10000
/family more
8000
6000
4000
2000
0
1998 2001
24. 4 Years After Restoration
2,000 ha pilot Restoration
65,000 ha Restored in
Dongting Lake region
> 100,000 ha Restored in
Central Yangtze
25.
26. How to Sustain These Changes?
Need A Mechanism to ensure coordination of
future effort in the right direction
• > 400 Million People Live in
• > 19 Provincial Governments within river basin
• > 10 Ministries responsible for resources
management
All of them have the power to change future
development directions
27. How to Sustain These Changes?
IRBM
China Council for International
Cooperation on Environment and
Development Task Force (2003-2004)
28. IRBM Task Force Recommendations
Institutions and Legislation
Stakeholder and Public Participation
√[Yangtze Forum]
Economic Measures and Incentives
√[Eco-compensation]
Develop and apply IRBM-related technologies
√[Recycle Economy]
29. However Impact of Fast Development
on Rivers Far Exceeded Imagination
Significant Impact of
Sand Mining and Dams
Appeared
80% of the sediments trapped
in the reservoir, clear water
flushes river bed downstream
30.
31. Wetland Restoration in Central Yangtze
reached a limited success only, new challenges
may be even more serious
Asymmetric
Erosion of
River bed
versus Lake
32. Growing of Chongming Island
soon be Reversed
1992
1997
1999
See Level
Raising
Worsen
Coast
Erosion
33. Case Study of Poyang Lake
(The Largest Chinese Freshwater Lake)
Satellite Image of June-Aug Satellite Image of Dec-Feb
34. A trend towards prolonged dry season
单
位
:
m
100
<10m 〈9m 〈8m
90
80
70
平均累积天数
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1960-1969 1970-1979 1980-1989 1990-1999 2000-2008
时间
35. Local Government Proposal: Damming the Lake
All related provincial
government, in particular
Shanghai, Anhui expressed
concerns
International societies,
Ramsar, IUCN, ICF, as
well as related
countries worried
37. It also has to block flooding water from Yangtze
Due to
Significantly
Increased
Flooding Risks
Disturb Migratory
Fishes
38. Ecosystem Management
Recommendations
• Biodiversity, Flood Mitigation, Clean Water and
Culture are by far the most important ecosystem
services of Poyang Lake
• Any project in upstream, or downstream may have
significant impact on its ecosystem services, and
therefore, an integrated river basin management
should be in place
• Other services (fishery, raw material, navigations, etc,
etc) should give way to the above priorities. Dam
option should never considered. However, local
community should be properly compensated
39. Ecosystem Approaches Assessment on Current Program
Principle Wetland Fishing Pollution Conserva Lake
restoration Ban Control tion Dam**
Fair
Democracy
Linkage
Ecological
Economy
Priority for
Conservation
Cautionary
Scale
Long-term goal
Adaptive
Balance
Information
Participation
40. Conclusions
• Yangtze River Management Experienced from
sectoral to multi-sector dialogue transition, but
challenges remains
• IRBM is the key mechanism to ensure river
management integrated with social economic
development, which can greatly help the basin
wide dialogue
• Ecosystem Approach principles offered simple
methodology for the implementation of IRBM