Conservation of Endangered Medical Wildlife Resources in Southwest China
Encourage traditional Chinese medicine professionals to protect Endangered wildlife used as medicines. Activities include establishing a special committee with local partners to regularly update lists of Endangered species used in medicines, determine alternatives, conduct educational programs, and organize public events to promote awareness.

Wildlife Enforcement Capacity Building - CITES Species Identification Network
Strengthen the capacity of customs officers and forest policemen in key wildlife trade regions in Yunnan, Guangxi, and Sichuan.  The project will establish an online CITES species identification Web site and provide training for officials to use and update the database.  This online tool will then be translated into English to encourage widespread use among Customs officials throughout Southeast Asia.

Independent Environmental and Biological Impact Research of South-to-North Water Diversion Program
Provide science-based recommendations to decisionmakers and the public on the implementation of south-to-north water diversion. The biological, geologic, and socioeconomic effects of the project will be delivered to the public for the first time. The headwaters of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, the most important rivers of China, are the key areas for this project.

Traditional Chinese Painting Arts as an Efficient Way for Advocating China’s Southwest Snow Mountain Conservation Efforts
Extend the influence of traditional Chinese Arts on conservation efforts and increase public awareness of nature conservation, especially for the unique landscape of the Mountains of Southwest China Hotspot.  The Arts and Conservation Association will organize activities and attract artists and stakeholders to join in conservation activities.

Community Action Under the Biodiversity Conservation in Baishuijiang Nature Reserve
Decrease the wood consumption of local communities in the core zone of the Baishuijiang National Nature Reserve, and reduce the damage to biodiversity caused by this consumption by communities on the edge of the forest.

Equator Ventures
Support the pilot phase of Equator Ventures, a partnership initiative with UNDP's Equator Initiative. Implement loan and technical assistance packages to small- to medium-sized enterprises benefiting biodiversity and local communities, and monitor biodiversity results.

Ecotourism Demonstration Project in Ganzi Prefecture, Sichuan Province
Explore ways for communities to benefit from and be inspired to conserve the environment, using ecotourism as a window and a tool through demonstration projects that meet the needs for biodiversity conservation and cultural diversity preservation objectives. The project aims to increase awareness of local biodiversity, resource, and culture through publications and communication to convert ecotourism from concept to practice in Southwest China.

The Conceptual Master Planning of Ecotourism for Baimaxueshan Nature Reserve
Establish a strategic model of ecotourism in order to avoid the destruction of precious resources from mass tourism and enhance biodiversity protection and local capacity in Baimaxueshan Nature Reserve in Northwest Yunnan.

A Study of Feasibility and Effects of Ecotourism at Baoshan Gushi Cheng, Yunnan
Research and analyze local conditions in Baoshan Gushi Cheng, develop and design an ecotourism project as an alternative source of revenue for the local people, provide a training ground for potential conservation professionals, and create a vehicle for the dissemination of environmental education. The need for this study is indicated in the continuing development of tourism in the area, resulting in potential harm to the environment and pressure of external changes to this community.

Feasibility Study for Establishing Panda Corridors in Min Mountain
Protect the giant panda and expand its habitat by exploring the feasibility of restoring the wildlife corridor in Tudiling with constructive recommendations to government agencies for implementation and by building the technical capacity of local stakeholders in Southwest China. The project aims to provide an example for forest restoration and regeneration practice that serves wildlife, the ecosystem and people.

Motivating Governments to Address Illegal Wildlife in Southeast Asia
Boost political support for controlling illegal resource-use activities, with a special focus on illegal wildlife trade, by convening a group of pro-conservation parliamentarians in Southeast Asia to meet regularly on priority issues related to combating illegal logging, fishing, and wildlife trade.

Establishing White Pagodas as Landmarks of Critical Ecological Sites in Xiaozhongdian Town
Use culture and religion to demarcate important ecological sites as a means to strengthen the sense of community ownership and enable effective responses to the overwhelming development pressure on natural resources in Diqin Tibetan Prefecture of Yunnan Province.

Promote Public Participation in Conserving Nu River
Enhance awareness of the local residents on biodiversity conservation and the impact of dam construction and development projects along three of the largest rivers in Asia: the Yangtze, Mekong and Nu rivers. The long-term goal of this project is to promote a participatory decision-making process to safeguard natural resources in the hotspot.

Develop Conservation Strategies to Eliminate Yew Trade in Mountains of Southwest China
Explore strategies for sustainable utilization of biodiversity resources in regards to the devastating trade of Himalayan yew as a major consumer of the bark’s extract, known as taxol, in the Mountains of Southwest China Hotspot. This project focuses on enhancing law enforcement, awareness building, and monitoring.

Population Survey on Cedar Species (Sabia Pingii) in Yele Nature Reserve
Investigate the distribution, population, age composition and community characteristics of the Chuizhi Cedar, which provides habitat for the giant panda, in Xiaoxiang Mountain, Sichuan, in Southwest China.

Natural Resources Protection and Community Development in Tuogushui Village, China
Build a partnership with the Tuogushui community to protect their agriculture from natural disasters and thus decrease the harvest of forest products and work with the Baimaxueshan Nature Reserve to monitor traffic through the mountains.

Promotion of Ecotourism Market in the Hengduan Mountains
Improve ecotourism capacity of the Hengduan Mountains in the world ecotourism market and achieve sustainable conservation and development in the Mountains of Southwest China hotspot. This will include designing five ecotourism routes, building a professional guide team, surveying tourists to gather effective data and expanding resources for ecotourism.

Effective Public Evaluation on the Conservation Areas and Natural Heritages in China
Improve public awareness on protected areas and World Heritage Sites in the Mountains of Southwest China. This project will conduct a series of activities including a photo exhibit, workshop, forum, book publication, and network development.

Green Community Network – Public Participation of Ecological Environmental Protection Action Plan
Empower Tibetan communities in their conservation capacities through a mobile unit with environmental education, health care and cultural preservation materials in Tibetan areas of Qinghai, Tibet and Ganzi.

The Third Green Camp of Yunnan University Students- “Attention to Development of Nu River” to Discover the Biodiversity and Cultural Variety of Nu River
Improve the “green belief” of students by promoting awareness of the status of biodiversity and how local communities influence this status, and set up a communication mechanism with other nongovernmental organizations in regard to the Nu River in the Southwest China hotspot. The project will concentrate on three thematic areas: agricultural expansion, firewood collection and ecotourism.

Anti-Poaching and Reducing Illegal Collection of Endangered Species in Wanglang Nature Reserve
Reduce illegal collection of endangered wildlife by applying anti-poaching measures in Wanglang Nature Reserve in Southwest China. The purpose of the project is to improve the conservation awareness and capacity of the local communities and mitigate threats to critical species.

Eco-Lanes Building in Wanglang Nature Reserve
Improve the management capacity, environmental education and ecotourism program in Wanglang Nature Reserve by building riverside eco-lanes with illustration boards in Sichuan Province in Southwest China.

Green Olympics Train to the Southwest – A Public Environment Education Project
Connect China’s ecological treasure to the Beijing Olympics by conducting public awareness campaigns on trains from Beijing to Southwest China, including providing basic environment, biodiversity, conservation, sustainable consumption and livelihood information to the passengers. The project aims to be adopted on a much broader scale by the Transportation Department and to promote a series of environmental standards for gradual adoption before the 2008 Olympics.

The Preliminary Project on Wildlife Consumption and Trade Monitoring and Public Awareness Education in Key Regions in China
Collect information about wildlife trade in the Mountains of Southwest China hotspot and conduct consumption awareness surveys in surrounding major cities. The project will build public awareness, strengthen law enforcement and set up a wildlife trade-monitoring network. Information collected from the survey and analysis will provide better information for decisionmakers and the general public.

Publication of a Pictorial Book on Yangtze River’s Ecology and Biodiversity
Publish the first of three books on the whole ecology, scene and culture along the Yangtze River. The albums will contain 900 pictures and 150,000 words in Chinese and English illustrating environmental issues along the river to help raise awareness about the biodiversity in this area.

Conservation Research on White-Eared Pheasant Habitat in Western Sichuan
Monitor the white-eared pheasant and its habitat, with a particular focus on the Zhu Jue monastery area in Dao Cheng County, West Sichuan where the species and its habitat are under tremendous pressure due to increased tourism business and human disturbance. Activities will also include promoting conservation of the species among Tibetan people and tourists, identifying measures to solve the conflict between conservation of the species and community development and providing constructive recommendations to the local government to help ensure local community participation in conservation efforts.

“Preserve Nujiang” Photo Exhibition
Engage civil society’s participation in preserving Nujiang River, one of the last free running rivers in China, through a photo exhibition in culture centers and universities of Yunnan and Beijing. The exhibition will showcase photographs taken by environmental journalists and nongovernmental organization representatives who visited the Nujiang area in February 2004 and interviewed many local community people and leaders. The pictures reflect both culture and nature elements in local people’s lives.

What’s Wrong With Yew? A Study of the U.S. Market for China’s Taxus wallichiana
Examine the role that the United States plays in the trade of Himalayan yew as a major consumer of the bark’s extract, known as taxol. Research the chain of custody of Taxol coming out of China and work closely with TRAFFIC East Asia to obtain trade records or information on Taxol, contact appropriate companies to try to determine the extent of their use of Taxol and its sources, U.S. government agencies to obtain any trade data available, and international experts and the CITES Secretariat for any information available.

Asia Wildlife Trade Strategy Planning
Undertake consultations with Save The Tiger Fund, WildAid, and CEPF representatives regarding an Asia-wide strategy to more effectively address the threat of wildlife trade to biodiversity conservation.

Inventory and Assessment of Non-Timber Forest Product Resources by Tibetans in Meilixueshan
Engage local Tibetans to assess the status of non-timber forest products (NTFP), explain threats resulting in degradation of NTFPs and identify measures and actions for alternative use and conservation in Mt. Meilixueshan.

Asian Conservation Awareness Program - China
Develop creative partnerships with mainstream media outlets to engage cultural, commercial and political leaders to promote greater awareness, concern and action for biodiversity conservation. The program is an innovative multi-media public education campaign designed and coordinated by WildAid in partnership with local wildlife groups, specifically aimed at reducing demand for illegal or unsustainable wildlife parts and products.

Protecting Cypress Trees Indigenous to the Kawagebo Area of Deqin County
Bring together local communities and Tibetan religious groups to promote conservation of endemic cypress, which has been over-collected for use in religious ceremonies and as a souvenir. Engage prestigious Tibetan reincarnated Buddha with local community people, schools, and government officials to promote culture and nature conservation and to take measures to protect the cypress.

A Media Campaign to Promote Ecotourism in China
Bring conservation nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), civil society and media together to promote biodiversity conservation and ecotourism. Ecotourism has been misinterpreted in many ways in China. This project aims to promote the best practice of ecotourism to ensure that civil society and tourism business understand the importance of participating in conservation of biological diversity, improving ecotourism management. It includes organization of a nation-wide quiz. Winners will undertake a study tour in Yunnan Province to visit key ecotourism sites and collect information.

Extending Distribution of 'Restoring China's Natural Vegetation'
Republish and extend distribution of “Restoring China’s Natural Vegetation.” The booklet, originally produced by the grantee, illustrates seven misunderstandings in the current vegetation restoration programs in China and the principles of development of natural ecosystem. Through a wider range of distribution to decisionmakers at national, provincial, county and nature reserve levels, the booklet will help inform thinking about ecology and its relationship with combating degradation of ecosystem.

World Heritage Nomination for Giant Panda Habitat
Bring together domestic and international experts to review and finalize the World Heritage Site nomination that is scientifically based, including a sound management plan that clearly defines financial implications, institutional responsibilities and obligations and represents a genuine consensus among local and regional stakeholders.

Building a Global Constituency for Biodiversity Conservation
Implement a series of targeted public awareness and education campaigns in nine hotspots in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Campaign leaders participate in an intensive training course at the UK's Kent University or Mexico's Guadalajara University, prepare detailed plans to implement campaigns, link with a local organization in their region and commit to a minimum two years with that organization.

Black Market: The Trade in Endangered Species in Asia
Provide funding to facilitate the production of a comprehensive publication on wildlife trade in Southeast Asia. The investigative report will document the devastating impact of this threat on endangered species and is intended to inform natural resource policies and protected area management.