1
An Eco-Security System for All People·International Forum
on Protected Areas and IAPA Annual Meeting
Forum Initiative
On October 28, 2023, during the "2023 NESS International ScienceCongress and Workshop on An Eco-Security System for All People(ESSAP)", the International Forum on Protected Area and 2023IAPA Annual Meeting was hosted by Changbaishan NationalNature Reserve Administration, Protected Area Working Committee /International Society of Zoological Sciences, Haikou Forestry Bureau,Hainan Institute of National Park. 15 experts from 10 countriesdelivered speeches on a variety of protected areas, introduced topicson conservation of ecosystems and biodiversity, ecosystem andsocio-economic benefits of protected areas, restoration and informationmonitoring of freshwater ecosystems in protected areas, national system ofprotected areas and health policies and epidemiological monitoring, and explore the important roles andvalue of protected areas to ecological and social security, and biosphereconservation. These presentations introduced the close correlationbetween protected areas and Eco-Security system, human activities andclimate change, discussed how can research and management on protectedareas provide scientific support for ESSAP, and describe the closerelationship between protected area system and NationalEco-Security System (NESS).OnOctober 28, 2023, during the "2023 NESS International ScienceCongress and Workshop on An Eco-Security System for All People(ESSAP)", the International Forum on Protected Area and 2023IAPA Annual Meeting was hosted by Changbaishan NationalNature Reserve Administration, Protected Area Working Committee /International Society of Zoological Sciences, Haikou Forestry Bureau,Hainan Institute of National Park. 15 experts from 10 countriesdelivered speeches on a variety of protected areas, introduced topicson conservation of ecosystems and biodiversity, ecosystem andsocio-economic benefits of protected areas, restoration and informationmonitoring of freshwater ecosystems in protected areas, national system ofprotected areas and health policies and epidemiological monitoring, and explore the important roles andvalue of protected areas to ecological and social security, and biosphereconservation. These presentations introduced the close correlationbetween protected areas and Eco-Security system, human activities andclimate change, discussed how can research and management on protectedareas provide scientific support for ESSAP, and describe the closerelationship between protected area system and NationalEco-Security System (NESS).
Experts and scholars attended theESSAP·International Forum on Protected Areas highly support Haikou Initiative.Through intensive communication and discussion, we believe that various globalecological crisis has posed severe threats to the long-term survival ofhumanity, we must speed up the scientific research on the Eco-Securitybottom-line for long-term survival of people in each country. The protectedarea system of a country is the core component of its NESS. Such research wouldlargely improve the protected system planning and management, build closelyrelationship with the needs of the people, and win wide social understandingand support. Only in this way can the importance of the protected area systembe promoted to the height of maintaining the long-term survival and developmentof all the people of a country, so that the government and society could bewilling to provide sufficient funds, personnel and social support to theprotected system for maintaining its Eco-Security function. Based on thisconsensus, the ESSAP·International Forum on Species proposes to theinternational scientific community and colleagues from all over the world the followinginitiative call:
We call on experts andresearch institutions on protected areas invarious countries to pay close attention to the Eco-Security bottom-linenecessary for the long-term survival of the children of ourselves and people ofour own countries, and actively support and participate in NESS relevantscientific research and collaborative actions in their countries.
We callon international experts and research institutions on protected areas to pay attention to theEco-Security targets needed for the sustainable survival of all childrenand humanity in the world, form wideconsensus and actively support and participate in relevant scientific researchcollaborations and joint actions around the theme of ESSAP.
After the Forum, the 2023International Alliance of Protected Areas (IAPA) Annual Meeting was held. Yan Xie, Chief Scientist of IAPA made an introduction toInternational Alliance of Protected Areas which is a network established by theInternational Society of Zoological Sciences (ISZS)and Changbaishan National Nature Reserve since 2014. Now it hasbecome an international communication and cooperation platform consisting ofprotected area management organizations. By now, there are 154 members from 14countries.
Sister Protected AreaCooperation has been promoted by IAPA and during the Congress, two pairsof Sister Protected Areas were held Signing Ceremony:
1. Khun Khan National Park,Thailand and Shennongjia National Park, China plan to become sister protected areas
Miss Wimonmart Nuipakdee,Superintendent of Khun Khan National Park, Department of National Parks,Wildlife and Plant Conservation, Thailand (Middle)
Mr. Guangming Dai, DeputyDirector, Shennongjia National Park, China (Right)
John MacKinnon, Advisory CommitteeMember, International Alliance of Protected Areas (Left, witness)
2. Capo Milazzo Marine ProtectedArea, Italy and Changbaishan National Nature Reserve, China becomesister protected areas
From right to the left:
Ms. Yueming Zhao, Head ofthe Office of Media and InternationalCooperation, Changbaishan National Nature Reserve Administration
Mr. Rongjie Zhang, EducationSection Chief & Senior Engineer, Changbaishan National NatureReserve Administration
Mr. Liangxiang Xu,Director, Changbaishan National Nature Reserve Administration
Ms. IvanaBonaccorsi, Member of the Board of Directors, Capo Milazzo MarineProtected Area
Mr. Massimo Geraci, Memberof the Board of Directors, Capo Milazzo Marine Protected Area
Mr. Piero SchneiderGraziosi, Member of the Technical and Scientific Committee, Italian ParkCommittee
John MacKinnon, Advisory CommitteeMember, International Alliance of Protected Areas (witness)
At the end of the meeting,there was active discussion on how to expand impact of IAPA and how to bestmeet IAPA member’s needs. Country representatives on siteshowed strong willingness to promote IAPA membership in theircountries. The 2024 IAPA Annual Meeting is scheduled to be heldin Changbaishan during the most beautiful season of autumn in 2024.
Appendix: Speeches during the ESSAP·InternationalForum on Protected Areas
Videos for the following speechesare available at the site: https://www.ness.link/h-nd-20.html
15 experts from 10 countriesdelivered speeches on a variety of protected areas, introduced topicson conservation of ecosystems and biodiversity, ecosystem andsocio-economic benefits of protected areas, restoration and informationmonitoring of freshwater ecosystems in protected areas, national system ofprotected areas and health policies and epidemiological monitoring, and explorethe important roles and value of protected areas to ecological and socialsecurity, and biosphere conservation. These presentations introduced theclose correlation between protected areas and Eco-Security system,human activities and climate change, discussed how can research andmanagement on protected areas provide scientific support for ESSAP, anddescribe the close relationship between protected area system and NESS.
At the beginning of the Forum, YanfeiTang, the Chair of the Forum; Executive Director, HainanInstitute of National Park emphasized during the theme explanation: in the faceof the current global ecological crisis posing severe threats to the long-termsurvival of human, especially for some fragile countries, we must speed up thescientific research on the Eco-Security bottom-line for long-term survival ofpeople. Such research would largely improve the protected system planning andmanagement, build closely relationship with the needs of the people, and winwide social understanding and support. Only in this way can the importance ofthe protected area system be promoted to the height of maintaining thelong-term survival and development of all the people of a country, so that thegovernment and society could be willing to provide sufficientfunds, personnel and social support to the protected system formaintaining its Eco-Security function. We shall actively call for experts andinstitutions engaging in protected area research and management from allcountries around the world, to actively promote, participate in the spread ofNESS concept and research, to maintain Eco-Security conditions necessaryfor their own people, to provide scientific support for establishing their ownNESS and promote the global jointly build ESSAP.
Mario Cabral, Lecturer and Researcher, Fisheriesand Marine Science Department, Universidade NacionalTimor Lorosa'e (UNTL) introduced the achievement of Community-BasedMarine Sanctuary (CB-MS) Process during 2 Decades (2005-2025) inTimor-Leste. The problems facing by coastal communities could be highlightedinto the 3 sustainably manner outcomes e.g., environment, economy, and socialwelfare. These research questions are (1) To what extent the benefit sharing ofCB-MS in supporting coastal communities, (2) Why coastal communities having payattention against the marine sanctuary, (3) Are there any possibilities to setup the National Eco-Security System (NESS) in Timor-Leste. He recommendedthat the GoTL is needed to elaborate the relevant policies thatfocusing on the ocean and coastal governance stewardship to ensure the futureestablishment of NESS and Timor-Leste should promote the ESSAP as afundamental support system necessary for serving and supporting the long-termsurvival and development of people in all countries.
Ivana Bonaccorsi, Member of the Board of Directors,AMP Capo Milazzo (Capo Milazzo Marine Protected Area) discussed ecosystem andsocio-economic benefits of APM- Capo Milazzo after four years after itsestablishment. Particular emphasis were given to the protectionbenefits produced on the ecosystem and socio-economic aspects (well-being,emotional, educational, scientific, saving costs, etc.), with a comparison withpreviously defined parameters, to contributing to local sustainable developmentthrough local engagement in natural resources exploitation (artisanalfishermen, hosts, local operators, schools).
Anirudh Chaoji, Ecologist/ChiefNaturalist, Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, India believed that Conservationis not just a Science, it is a Social Science. He explained the protectedarea conservation history in India where local people were considered asenemies of the forest and forbidden from entering these forests. With no stake, locals started seeingthe forests as having material to be stolen; and the species in them - eitherfood or enemies. Today, many communities are seeing significant revenue fromEco Tourism and a number of youth who had earlier looked at a bleakfuture, have sustainable livelihoods. From around 25 tigers in2012, Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve now boasts of over 115 tigersin its 1700 sq.km. area. Investing in local people is the only way ahead.
Xinhai Li, Associate Research Professor,Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences discussed the long-termplanning and flexible management of the Sanjiangyuan NationalPark. Based on the spatial distribution of the important species(including snow leopard, blue sheep, Tibetan wild ass, Tibetan antelope,Tibetan gazelle, saker falcon and upland buzzard, etc.) and important landscape(snow mountain, canyon, grassland and wetland, etc.) of the nationalpark, we divided the national park into 50 small areas and developedcorresponding conservation target management plan for each area. On the premiseof giving priority to conservation, it is suggested to develop tourism in someareas and build Sanjiangyuan National Park into the world's topnational park.
Chiranjibi Prasad Pokheral, Director, National Trust for NatureConservation -Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal introduced Annapurna ConservationArea’s biodiversity and sustainable harmony. He introduced theharmonious relationship of “Protected Areas,” “Biodiversity Preservation,” and“Sustainable Harmony” within ACA’s breathtaking landscapes and ACA’s efforts inempowering local communities, preserving cultural heritage, and promotingintegrated approaches that resonate with both conservation and sustainabledevelopment. Experience the resonance of ACA’s conservation model standsresilient in the face of climate challenges.
Hendra Gunawan, Conservation and SustainabilityLeads, Sebumi.id, Indonesia conducted an economic valuation ofnatural resources in Gunung Palung National Park, West Kalimantan and optimized theutilization of conservation areas to enhance the life support system for bothlocal and global communities. The result of economic valuation study inGPNP, shows the estimated annual value of household water is USD9,000,000, the economic value of GPNP area existence is USD 264,000, theeconomic value of Orangutan conservation is USD 407,000, the economic value ofCarbon absorption is USD 47,000,000 and the economic value of Durian fruit isUSD 3,969,000. Seeing the importance of environmental governance, theIndonesian government has taken serious steps to facilitate the emergence of anew environmental services sector.
Roman Jashenko, Professor, Director General,Institute of Zoology, Kazakhstan, introduced the conservation of ecosystemand rich biological diversity in Alakol Biosphere Reserve(East Kazakhstan). This territory, listed in Ramsar Convention'sInternationally Important Wetlands List on November 25, 2009, is nestinghabitat for 203 bird species out of 342 registered here.
Tatiana Iashina. Deputy Director for Science, Katunskiy BiosphereReserve Administration, Russia talked about how protected areas and developmentin mountain regions of Russia to ensure forEco-security. She introduced the protected areas (PA) system inRussia, then more detailed on the development and eco-security in mountainregions of the country. Finally, introduced the idea of combinedecological-economic co-evolution of the region, so-called “noospheric wayof development” which is declared for the Russian part of the Altai region. Accordingto this, eco-security is provided by (1) the system of protected areas combinedwith (2) the change of attitudes to the environment towards less consumptivelifestyle based on the traditional values and (3) regenerative economics.
Nelson Muyaba, Natural Resources Planner, Ministryof Tourism, Department of National Parks and Wildlife, Zambia introduced impactof protected areas in the surrounding communities. The role ofprotected areas in sustaining the livelihoods of communities and how humanactivities are negatively affecting the ecological functions of protectedarea. He calls for multiple stakeholders best useNESS initiative to promote conservation in protected areas.
Lusita Meilana, Postdoctoral Research Fellows, Xiamen University, explainedthe management Performance-based Evaluation that Indonesian Marine ProtectedAreas (MPAs) are doing. She conducted quantitative and qualitativeassessment on the current state of Indonesian MPAs in meeting the Aichitargets. Theevaluation indicates that none of the sites were sustainably managed. Lack offunding due to a need for infrastructure, facilities, and human resources wasthe main problem impeding management effectiveness. This study sheds light onhow crucial it is to comprehend the current difficulties and enhance tacticsfor achieving "successful" management.
Koffi Valentin Mawougnigan, Coordinator, Écologie Universelle Togo introduced theTogo's National System of Protected Areas, health policy focusing on theTogo's health legislation and the Epidemio-surveillance Networkfor Animal Diseases in Togo.
Yueming Zhao, Head of the Office of Media andInternational Cooperation, Changbaishan National Nature ReserveAdministration, China introduced freshwater ecosystem restoration andinformation monitoring in Changbaishan National Nature Reserve. Since 2019, the freshwater ecosystemat the headwaters of the Songhua River has been comprehensively improved. Themain measures include the remove of hydropower stations, therestoration of the original river channel, the construction of migratorychannels for aquatic species, and the vegetation restoration ofthe removed power station sites. So far, 12 hydropower stationshave been dismantled and 2.3 kilometers of rivers have been restored. At thesame time, the information intelligent platform project was implemented, acomprehensive information management platform is established,equipped with big data core room, 700 GHz network communication basestation, wireless transmission infrared trigger cameras, and road videomonitoring and forest fire video monitoring. Through ecosystem restoration andinformation technology monitoring, the key protected wildlife populations ofChinese Merganser, Sable, Taxus cuspidata,and Thuja koraiensis have been steadily increasing, thehabitats of rare and endangered species have been effectively protected, andthe ecosystem service function has been steadily improved.
Anming Zhu, Deputy Director, ProtectedAreas Editorial Office, East China Investigation and PlanningInstitute, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, introduced the practice of ProtectedAreas from a new Journal to the CSCD and forest and grass science andtechnology journals serve the construction of ecological civilization. TheJournal of Protected Areas adheres to the concept of"open publishing" and is committed to providing Chinese wisdom andsolutions to nature conservation to the world around the nationalstrategy of building ecological civilization. Taking Protected Area asan example, this paper introduces its exploration and practice aiming toprovide reference for the development of high-quality academicjournals.
Jianchu Xu, Research Professor, KunmingInstitute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences explained his version on Mountain Futureand future living in global change. Founded in June 2018, "MountainFuture" is the COP 15 Youth Biodiversity Scientific Exploration ActivityCamp and the United Nations Ecosystem Recovery Experimental DemonstrationBase. the "Mountain Future" will focus on both ecological restorationand ecological industry, emphasizing the sustainable use of biodiversity. Itwill not only inherit traditional culture, but also innovate modern technologyand build a future way of life, so that the use of traditional biodiversity canfind a position in modern industries, and local community farmers, especiallywomen, can benefit from it.
Ruiping Wang, Professor, Hainan Institute ofNational Park, China led the discussion on the recommendations of InternationalForum on Protected Areas.
Yan Xie, Chief Scientist of IAPA made an introduction toInternational Alliance of Protected Areas which is a network establishedby the International Society of Zoological Sciences(ISZS) and Changbaishan National Nature Reserve since 2014. Nowit has become an international communication and cooperation platformconsisting of protected area management organizations. By now, there are154 members from 14 countries.
http://iapa.globalzoology.org.cn/?_l=en for more information.