Differences in management capacity of national nature reserves on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the impact on conservation effectiveness

doi:10.17520/biods.2022419

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims: The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is an important ecological barrier in China. Setting nature reserves in this area can effectively protect ecological security and biodiversity. Assessing the impact of nature reserve management capacity on conservation effectiveness may facilitate scientific conservation and management of nature reserves.

Methods:This study analyzed the differences in management capacity, funding and staffing of 54 national nature reserves in the Tibetan Plateau. We studied the conservation effectiveness of different nature reserves using the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), which revealed the relationship between management capacity and conservation effectiveness of national nature reserves. This provided a basis for optimizing the conservation and management of nature reserves on the Tibetan Plateau.

Results: (1) The management institutions responsible for the national nature reserves on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau varied greatly on the administrative level. In general, these institutions covered four hierarchies: bureau level, division level, section level and unit level. Among these institutions, 42 were independent management and 12 were non-independent management that were co-located with other institutions. The administrative level of the institution and whether it was an independent property affect the conservation effectiveness, and the higher administrative level and independent management institutions had better conservation effectiveness. (2) Nature reserves differed greatly from the national average in terms of unit management funds, per capita management area and patrol area, and there was a general lack of professional talents among staff.

Conclusion: We recommend focusing on the special characteristics of nature reserve protection and management in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, standardizing the construction of management institutions, and strengthening financial security. We also suggest promoting more high-level professionals to engage in conservation work, further increasing the capacity of ecological management positions, and effectively improving the management capacity and conservation effectiveness of nature reserves in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Key words: nature reserves, management institutions, management effectiveness, NDVI, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Le Qin, Yanpeng Zhu, Yueheng Ren, Boyan Li, Mengdi Fu, Junsheng Li. Differences in management capacity of national nature reserves on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the impact on conservation effectiveness[J]. Biodiv Sci, 2022, 30(11): 22419.

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URL: https://www.biodiversity-science.net/EN/10.17520/biods.2022419

https://www.biodiversity-science.net/EN/Y2022/V30/I11/22419

Figures/Tables 4

Fig. 1 Annual changes in area and quantity of national nature reserves in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Table 1 Level and number of management institutions of national nature reserves on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

级别 Level	独立 Independent		非独立 Non-independent		总计 Sum
级别 Level	数量 Quantity	占比 Ratio	数量 Quantity	占比 Ratio	总计 Sum
厅局级 Bureau level	1	1.85%	0	0	1
县处级 Division level	32	59.26%	4	7.41%	36
乡科级 Section level	9	16.67%	7	12.96%	16
股级 Unit level	0	0	1	1.85%	1
总计 Sum	42	77.78%	12	22.22%	54

Fig. 2 NDVI differences in nature reserves with different attribute management institutions. CD, Division level or above and independent; CN, Division level and above and non-independent; KD, Section level or below and independent; KN: Section level or below and non-independent; D, Independent management institutions; N, Non-independent management institutions; C, Division level or above management institutions; K: Section level or below management institutions.

Fig. 3 Differences in the status of management institutions of national nature reserves

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