Sichuan Province issued the Opinions on Strengthening the Construction of the Sichuan Area of the Giant Panda National Park. According to the Opinions, Sichuan will improve the Sichuan Academy of Giant Panda, strive to establish the key laboratory of the Giant Panda National Park, and support the R&D and commercialization of scientific and technological achievements.
The Opinions put forward requirements from 10 aspects, i.e. accelerating the establishment of institutional systems, put the operation and management system in order, strengthening the management of natural resources, improving the monitoring and patrol system, laying a solid foundation, stimulating the vitality of talent introduction and utilization, balancing coordinated regional development, strengthening efforts in publicity, education and exchanges, putting continuous effort into disaster prevention and reduction, and enhancing the collaboration mechanism.
The Opinions specify that regulations for the management of the Sichuan Giant Panda National Park shall be formulated. A series of standards and specifications such as conservation performance evaluation, patrol and monitoring, restoration of the habitats for giant pandas, and the construction of ecological corridors have been issued to form a technical standard system for the construction of the Sichuan area of the Giant Panda National Park (hereinafter referred to as the Sichuan Area). Special financial funds for forestry and grassland shall be coordinated and integrated, and a mechanism for stable investment shall be established. An institutional system consisting of laws and regulations, management mechanism, and technical standards shall be improved.
As stated in the Opinions, efforts shall be made to accelerate the optimization and establishment of management organizations of the Giant Panda National Park, relevant posts shall be allocated as a whole and in a science-based manner on the basis of integrating existing posts of management organizations of various reserves. Investigation, monitoring and evaluation of natural resources shall be carried out, the confirmation and registration of natural resource ownerships shall be completed, and the results shall be released to the public according to laws and regulations. Eligible collective manmade commercial forests shall be recognized as non-commercial forests and offered eco-compensation. Small hydroelectric power plants shall be gradually phased out in a classified and orderly manner, and mining rights shall be withdrawn at a faster pace.
The Opinions specify that the plan for monitoring technology in the Sichuan area shall be formulated, advanced technologies such as high-resolution satellites shall be applied, and the integrated aviation-aerospace-land comprehensive monitoring system shall be improved. Efforts in professional management and protection shall be further strengthened, a first-class patrol team shall be built, natives living in the community and employees of state-owned forestry enterprises shall be the preferred choices when it comes to recruiting staff for the management and protection for public welfare in the Sichuan area. Digital management of monitoring, patrol, scientific research, and office work shall be promoted, and the smart Giant Panda National Park shall be built, so as to connect with the national park sensing system of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.
According to the Opinions, the non-profit nature of the national park shall be fully reflected, efforts shall be made to guide and encourage talent of all kinds to work at the grass-roots front lines, and policy and financial guarantee shall be strengthened. Furthermore, front-line personnel who work deep into the mountains for patrol and monitoring shall be given guidance and incentives, such as more performance bonuses in income distribution. An advisory committee in the Sichuan area consisting of academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, leading experts and top talent shall be established.
