Guizhou province focuses on its nature reserves

The government of Southwest China's Guizhou province is understood to have recently issued a white paper, outlining a variety of paths that could be taken in order to conserve, improve and expand the region's nature reserves.

The document – Implementation Opinions on Promoting the High-quality Development of Guizhou Characteristic Nature Reserves –proposes speeding up the establishment of a nature reserve system with national parks as the main focus.

The opinions propose that by 2025, the province will complete the integration and optimization of its nature reserves and have red lines in place in terms of ecological protection. Moreover, Guizhou will have improved management regulations for its nature reserves and will have refined and improved various associated policies and systems.

One recommendation is that Guizhou should gradually improve the establishment of nature reserves and natural parks, aiming for the proportion of nature reserves to reach about 10 percent of its total land. At the same time, the province is seen initially creating a dynamic and efficient nature reserve system.

By 2035, the province is expected to achieve full coverage with nature reserves of its four major mountain ranges and eight major water systems. What's more, the management of nature reserves will have reached an advanced level and a system of reserves with Guizhou characteristics will have been established in an all-round way.

The white paper also states that Guizhou should innovate with the establishment and development mechanism of its nature reserves. This would include accelerating the development of nature reserves, resolving existing problems in a precise and methodical manner, innovating the system for the use of the natural resources and exploring a mechanism for sharing them with all the people.

In addition, Guizhou is expected to strengthen its supervision and assessment of the environment and ecological systems of its nature reserves.