Report on the growth of YEN saplings
Reporter: Chen Yongsong
Date: 30 Oct 2006
Place: Anzhong Village , Lashihai Highland Plateau Wetland Reserves, Lijiang , Yunnan , China
Background
Yunnan EcoNetwork (YEN) initiated the Sapling Volunteers in 1 July 2002. One of the sapling activity sites is located around the areas of Lashihai Highland Plateau Wetland Reserves. Each year, volunteers from the United States , Japan , and China come here planting trees voluntarily for the protection of the wetland, together with their counterpart: the local student and youth volunteers from Anshang, Anzhong Villages and Gele Hills in Lashihai.
136 indigenous tree species have been planted in these areas so far, which symbol the conservation of biodiversity in the watershed regions. This however, got support from relevant local government departments like Youth League Committee of different levels, Forestry Department of different levels and the Administrative Bureau of Lashihai Highland Plateau Wetland Reserves.
Who joined the activity?
Organizations |
Name of species |
Place where tree planted |
Date/Month/Year |
N o. of volunteers |
Number of sapling planted |
|
Outside |
Local |
|||||
Dragons |
HTC |
Cypress family; Cupressaceae |
Geleyan H. Dayu V. Lijiang, China |
17 July 2005 |
17 |
17 |
19 Aug 2006 |
13 |
13 |
||||
PVI |
/HTC |
Willowweed; Epilobium.Linn. |
Anshang V. Lashihai, Lijiang |
1 Aug 2005 |
10 |
10 |
YLCLS/ No2 MS |
Cypress family; Cupressaceae |
Geleyan H. Dayu V. Lijiang, China |
19 July 2006 |
14 |
14 |
|
EPO |
YLCLS |
Willowweed; Epilobium.Linn. |
Anshang V., Lashihai, Lijiang |
1 Aug 2005 |
10 |
10 |
GE, China |
YLCLS |
Willowweed; Epilobium.Linn. |
Anshang V. Lashihai, Lijiang |
8 Sep 2005 |
25 |
25 |
MST |
YLCLS |
Willowweed; Epilobium.Linn. |
Anshang V. Lashihai, Lijiang |
23 Oct 2005 |
28 |
28 |
AU |
YLCLS |
Willowweed; Epilobium.Linn. |
Anzhong V., Lashihai, Lijiang |
10 April 2006 |
4 |
4 |
SIT / YLCLS |
YLCLS |
Willowweed; Epilobium.Linn. |
Anzhong V., Lashihai, Lijiang |
21 April 2006 |
15 |
15 |
Total |
136 |
|||||
Abbr.
Dragons: Where There Be Dragon PVI : Pacific Village Institute
EPO: Environmental Protection Organization, Kunming University of Science & Technology AU: Aichi University , Japan
MST: Meishengtang Chain Stores, Hebei SIT: School for International Training
YLCLS: Youth League Committee, Lashi Township , Yulong County , Lijiang, Chian HTC: Lashihai Haishi Tourist Co. Lijiang
No.2 MS : No. 2 Middle School, Yulong County , Lijiang
What we saw?
On 29 of September, YEN conducted a half-day-check on the growth of saplings at Anshang Village as usual. The survey this time turned to be a bit upset. The boom of the tourist economy in Lijiang has got some negative impact on the nearby wetland. One of the factors is the horse riding. Some farmers from nearby villages introduced horse riding to show tourists around on the wetland. Both the tourists and the owners of horses benefited from the horse riding, while at the same time, they threw the wasted bottles, cigarette ends, and plastic bags everywhere in the wetland. Further more, the repeated steps of horseshoes on the tender grass of the wetland began to cause the degradation of the wetland. The situation was even worse when we saw horses were tying upon the saplings with a rope. The horse gnawed at tree trunk through, and finally made it dead.
Check point: Anshang V., Lashihai, Lijiang
Tree species checked: Willowweed; Epilobium.Linn.
Organizations |
Number of sapling planted |
Alive |
Dead |
Lost |
Other situation |
Date/Month/Year |
PVI |
10 |
No1, No2, No3, No5 |
No6, No7, No8, No9, No10 |
No4 |
Horse men use trees to tie horses on No7 and No10 |
19 July 2006 |
EPO |
10 |
No1, No2, No3, No4, No6, No7, No9, No10 |
No5, No8 |
-- |
-- |
1 Aug 2005 |
GE, China |
25 |
All alive |
-- |
-- |
-- |
8 Sep 2005 |
MST |
28 |
Other all alive besides these lost |
No 21, No27 |
-- |
23 Oct 2005 |
|
Total |
77 |
63 (81.82%) |
7 (9%) |
3 (3.9%) |
2 (2.59%) |
|
What action shall we take?
To protect the wetland through the strength of volunteers is the goal of sapling volunteers. In the narrow sense, people might think that the wetland belongs to these who live along it, but in the larger sense, it is wrong. More and more people begin to realize that we together live on one planet that we should take care of the planet with our joint efforts.
With that, we (YEN the moderator) proposed an online discussions on the issues among sapling volunteers. We ask for your kind advices or recommendations on Sapling Volunteers as well as the promotion of it.
We will hand your advices or recommendations to relevant government departments and legislatures in China .
We will send you any feedback information regarding to the discussions.
Our initiatives
To hold an awareness campaign on the protection of wetlands
To conduct Trainers of Trainees (TOT) for wide participation
To do fundraising for the mapping of the wetland and with that we can protect it efficiently.
To pave horse riding paths with rocks and stones by farmers themselves
To help local farmers by resorting financial support from banks or any investors
Hope you support Sapling Volunteers!
Photo 1
A horse was gnawing at tree trunk
Photo 2
A horse was tying on a sapling of PVI's
Photo 3
The boom of tourism begins to cause destroy to the wetland
Photo 4
The saplings grow well 1
Photo 5
The saplings grow well 2
Photo 6
Saplings of GE, China & Heibei Meishengtang