Evaluation of Impact of Key Ecological Forest on Ecological Environment in Zhejiang Province

1. Evaluation of Impact of Key Ecological Forest on Ecological Environment in Zhejiang Province Provincial Audit Office of Zhejiang 2008-10-17

2. BACKGROUND It is the same issue for human beings in the 21th century to construct ecological civilization and protect ecological environment. China is on the way to a well-to-do society with production development, an affluent life and good ecological environment for realizing coordinated development of economy with population, resources and environment, as well as for realizing harmony between human beings and nature. Forest is the main body of land ecosystem. Along with economic development, social progress and living standard improvement, forestry development and ecological environment improvement has been focused, and forestry will play more and more important role in economic and social development. Forestry will not only meet the demands of physical products like wood, but also of ecological products and even ecological cultural products, which become the first demand of society to forestry.

3. In 1999, Zhejiang provincial government conducted tests of ecological forest construction at 21 counties of river sources and forest zones in order to improve regional ecological environment. In 2000, Zhejiang government decided to start ecological forest engineering in the province of 2 million hectares. In 2004, the government proposed the target of constructing ecological forest of 3.33 million hectares in 2020 with 62% of forest coverage in the province. By the end of 2007, 1.97 million hectares forests in 84 counties(cities and districts) were classified as ecological forest. And provincialfinancial allocationof 1.392 billion yuan RMB was implemented for foresters for economic compensation and forest managing.

4. Provincial Audit Office of Zhejiang organized in 2008 audit surveys in 23 counties distributed of key ecological forests for evaluating effect of 8 years ecological forest construction, especially effect of ecological forest on improvement of local environment. Zhejiang Forestry Department and Jiande county was audited directly by Provincial Audit Office of Zhejiang.

5. AUDIT TARGET Effect of ecological forest on ecological environment was evaluated by investigation on capital inflow of governments at all levels as well as on management and protection of the forests by governments, collectives and foresters. Assessment was also made on attention and awareness of governments and public on ecological forest construction, and its effect on improvement of local environment and derivation benefit after improvement of local environment. Investigation was made on effect of ecological forest construction on income of foresters.

6. AUDIT CONTENTS 1Appropriation and use of compensation fund Whether full amount of compensation fund from central and provincial government appropriated on time, and if there was financial allocation of counties. If all funds above-mentioned were accounted and administrated by special account. Whether financial and forestry bureaus of the counties(city and district) and township institutions allocated funds to state forest centers, collectives and foresters. If service charge for forest rangers, and expenditures for forest fire, pest control and resources monitoring were used according to stipulations.

7. 2 Management of ecological forest 2.1 Whether areas of key ecological forest and subcompartments are the same as reported ones. 2.2 If professional institutions were set up and administrative workers were arranged with clear responsibilities. 2.3 Whether a check-up system was set up on responsibility system. 2.4 About system construction, file administration. 2.5 About administration of forest rangers. 2.6 About forest fire protection and pest control. If systems for forest fire protection and pest control were established. 2.7 Whether projects were successfully completed like fire belt construction, transformation of conifer forest to broad-leaf forest, transformation of low efficient forest etc. 2.8 Use of compensation fund of village.

8. 3 Evaluation on effect of ecological forest on ecological environment 3.1 Effect of ecological forest on climate change was evaluated by changes of CO2, O2 and carbon storage, and determination on aero-anion concentration, temperature and humidity in forest. 3.2 Effect of ecological forest on bio-diversity was assessed by changes of wild animal and plant populations. 3.3 Effect of ecological forest on water and soil erosion and geological disasters was evaluated by their variation before and after construction. 3.4 Effect of ecological forest on forest tourism was determined by investigations on scenic spots, restaurants in villages, employees, tourists, etc. 3.5 Effect of ecological forest on foresters was evaluated by questionnaire and discussion with foresters to study influencing factors to revenue of foresters for a rational compensation system of ecological forest.

9. 4 AUDIT TECHNIQUES 4.1 Accounts check. Including appropriation by financial institutions of the county, receive and delivery of the township and village institutions, as well as use of managing expenditures for forestry bureaus. 4.2 Discussion and questionnaire. Discuss with part of foresters and rangers to inspect awareness of ecological forest policies in the villages, receive of compensation funds by foresters and responsibility system of rangers. Questionnaires issued to partial foresters. 4.3 Audit sampling. 3 towns of each county(city and district) were selected to be investigated on receive, delivery and use of the funds. Check ecological forest area by sampling investigation on subcompartments. 4.4 Field determination. Establish aero-anion points in the field to determine aero-anion concentration and humidity. Other documents on air, water, etc were supported by local institutions.

10. Questionnaire • 1. Do you know ecological forest? A Yes, I know. B No, I don’t know. C Yes, a little. • 2. Do you know compensation policy for ecological forest? A Yes, I know. B No, I don’t know. C Yes, a little. • 3. Do you have ecological forest? A Yes, I do. B No, I don’t. • 4. If yes, have you received compensation? How much per hectare? A Yes, I have. B No, I haven’t. C ___ yuan RMB/ha. • 5. Is there any influence to your household income after your forest being classified as ecological forest? A Increased income. B Decreased income. C No. • 6. Do you believe that ecological forest could improve local environment? A. Yes. B No. • 7. Who ranges ecological forest in your village? A Ranger. B Leaders of village. C Nobody • 8. Is there increase of wild animal and birds after construction of ecological forest? A Yes. B No. • 9. Is there any overcutting in your village after construction of ecological forest? A Yes. B No. • 10. Is compensation policy for ecological forest good? A Yes. B No. • 11. How much per hectare is your standard for ecological forest? XXX, ________village. 2008-XX-XX

11. 5 AUDIT RESULT AND CONCLUSION Audit result showed that key ecological forest construction has played important role in improvement of ecological environment. From 2000, provincial government of Zhejiang had allocated funds totaled to 1,189,450,000 yuan RMB. Responsibility system was established and improved. Regulations concerning ecological forest management, compensation methods and inspection were formulated. Key ecological forest areas were investigated and reported in the province. Information system on subcompartment was preliminary established and bulletin was published two years continuously on construction and benefit of the key ecological forest.

12. 5.1Compensation system was established. Based on regulations like “Measures for the Administration of Key Ecological Forest in Zhejiang(Proposed)”, “Measures for the Administration of Compensation Funds for Forest Ecological Benefit in Zhejiang”, “Measures for the Administration of Construction, Management and Inspection of Key Ecological Forest in Zhejaing(Proposed)”, eco-compensation funds of the province and counties are listed as annual financial budget. Compensation funds have increased year by year according to economic development in the province. Provincial government of Zhejiang allocated funds of 150 million yuan RMB in 2005, 200 million in 2006, 240 million in 2007 and 320 million in 2008. Compensation fees received by foresters have the same increase, 67.5 yuan/ha in 2005, 90 yuan/ha in 2006, 120 yuan/ha in 2007 and 165 yuan/ha in 2008.

13. Fig. 1 Provincial government allocation from 2005 to 2008

14. Fig. 2 Compensation fees received by foresters from 2005-2008

15. 5.2 Better management of forested area After determination of ecological forest division, 33800 responsibility letters were signed in Zhejiang province between governments of the county and township, township and villagers’ committee, villagers’ committee and forester on cutting, forest protection, fire protection and pest control. 19400 rangers and 2323 inspectors were employed in the province. 40 counties have remote video monitoring systems with 201 probes and 726,667 ha areas monitored. GIS for ecological forest was established. 20,145 promotional signs were set up at remarkable locations.

16. Information system of subcompartment

17. Remote video monitoring system

18. 5.3 Evident ecological benefits Investigation on 1.97 million of ecological forest in 2007 by forestry research institutions demonstrated that it could increase each year water conservation of 1,655,600 tons, CO2 absorption of 17,033,400 tons, O2 release of 12,386,000 tons, carbon storage of 9,964,600 tons and decrease water and soil erosion of 71,320,000 tons.

19. 5.3.1Effect of ecological forest on changes of climate Effect of ecological forest on changes of climate Fig. 3 Determination of aero-anion concentration in ecological forest and urban areas of Jiande

20. Positive effect of ecological forest on suppression of climate warming.Fig. 4 Mean annual temperature in ecological forest, forested land and urban area

21. Fig. 5 Humidity in ecological forest and urban areas

22. Effect of ecological forest on improvement of water qualityFig. 6 Water quality of Lanjiang River ahead and behind ecological forest

23. 5.3.2 Effect of ecological forest on biodiversity There are 20 and 8 provincial nature reserves and wetlands distributed in different ecological forest of Zhejiang, habitats of wild animals and plants. 246 Alligator sinensis were produced from 9 ones in Changxing Chinese Alligator Center, about 200 Cervus nippon live in Lin’an from 80 in the 80th, and 5 pairs of Nipponia nippon were introduced from Shaanxi in 2007 and one baby N. nippon was born in 2008. After construction of ecological forest, local farmers have met by chance wild animals more than 100 times, among which, animals listed as the national first-grade 8 times, that as the second-grade 32 times, that as the provincial grade 50 times and common animals 70 times.

24. Fig. 7 Times to meet animals

25. 5.3.3 Effect of ecological forest on water and soil conservation • “Bulletin of Monitoring on Water and Soil Conservation” reported that areas of water and soil erosion in 2000 reached 16,212.36 km2, taking 15.38% of total provincial land area, but decreased to 136,54.13 km2 in 2005, taking 12.95% of total provincial land area. • In 2000, water and soil erosion area in Jiande reached 497.35km2, taking 21.46% of the total land area of the city, while in 2005, it decreased to 319.3 km2, taking 13.79% of the total land area.

26. Before After Fig. 8 Comparison of water and soil erosion before and after ecological forest construction

27. 5.3.4 Effect of ecological forest on tourism More than 6 million tourists visited 99 forest parks with ticket income of 1.65 billion yuan RMB in 2006 in Zhejiang province. By the end of September of 2007, 2507 restaurants in ecological forest areas have 81735 employees with business income of 2.744 billion yuan from January to September of 2007.

28. Fig. 10 Effect of ecological forest on tourism in Jiande

29. Deficiencies of funds, management and benefit Jiande Financial Bureau did not appropriate compensation funds of 2,234,600 yuan RMB in the current year of 2007 according to stipulation, and 696,900 yuan of 2007 still are needed to be allocated on September of 2008. Investigations demonstrated that foresters hope to increase compensation fee to 300 yuan/ha. In 2007, fire disaster area of key ecological forest reached 467 hectares, and there was also damage of pine wilt disease and overcutting. There are 66,300 ha of ecological forests in Jiande, but environment quality of the city has the worsening tendency, meanings that more ecological forest areas, better forest structure and better forest quality are needed to improve environment pollution caused by economic development.

30. Fig. 11 Changes of SO2 and NO2 from 2001 to 2007 in Jiande

31. Fig. 12 Comparison of water quality upstream and downstream of Xin’anjiang River in Jiande

32. 6 PROPOSITIONS AND COUNTERMEASURES Ecological environment protection is a long-term and arduous task. Propositions and countermeasures were offered for coordinated development of forest conservation and ecological protection with sustainable development of economy and society, and for better protection of ecological forest by foresters.

33. 6.1 Increasing ecological forest areas and enhancing environment improvement. Based on forest ecological benefit and economic development in the province, it is very important to enhance protection of ecological environment to meet the demands of ecological province construction. According to propositions on promoting forestry modernization of the provincial party committee and government, countermeasures were offered such as increasing ecological forest area to 3,333 million hectares, decreasing air and water pollution.

34. 6.2 It is time to increase compensation fee to foresters. Ecological protection engineering is a systematic program, while most forested regions are underdeveloped areas, and foresters are dependent on forest resources. Therefore it is necessary to increase compensation fees(10%/year) for foresters in order to increase personal income and meet the demands of local economic development. • Besides, considering financial revenue, economic development and environment protection in the province, compensation funds are proposed to be allocated by provincial government to decrease financial burden of mountainous counties.

35. 6.3 Establishing management team for ecological forest It is very important to establish an effective management system for the safety of 2 million hectares ecological forest in Zhejiang, including training on pest control and forest fire, emergency procedures.

36. THANK YOU!