The Qinling mountains are home to about 120 giant pandas.

This project is based on the belief that a balanced future for both conservation and development depends on the participation of all. Thus the Qinling Panda Focal Project emphasizes cooperation with non-traditional conservation forces such as national and regional government projects and economic development activities of an area or of private enterprises. By mobilizing partners from the non-traditional conservation sectors to adopt a demonstration model, WWF aims to help bring changes to policies, decision making, management, investment and consumption processes. Therefore, while continuing effective cooperation with traditional partners, WWF hopes to bring a win-win solution to both conservation and economic development in the panda habitat.

Engaging the local community in conservation activities is an important part of WWF's work.

The Qinling Panda Focal Project was officially launched in March 2002 and includes three main activities. The first aims to establish a ‘Qinling Panda Protection Network’ based on a Memorandum of Understanding between WWF and the Shaanxi Forestry Department. This cooperation will facilitate the creation of twelve new panda reserves and five new ecological corridors in the Qinling Mountain Range.

A local child's drawing of people and pandas in harmony.

The second promotes cooperation between conservation and tourism development in the Southern Taibaishan region of Zhouzhi in the Qinling mountain range. It addresses the need to coordinate the relationship between conservation and sustainable development in the region and mitigate further loss and fragmentation of panda habitats caused by random tourism development in the region.

Location of the Qinling giant panda habitat.

The third main activity aims to engage the local community in conservation activities by working with different stakeholders (such as local government, conservation, agricultural and poverty alleviation institutions as well as businesses), to seek win-win solutions and to obtain better conservation results in the form of “social co-management ”. This makes it possible to maintain long-term sustainable development.

Program news

Giant boost for the giant panda, April 22, 2003