China

Located in the south-west tip of Yunnan province, in south-west of China, Xishuangbanna Biosphere Reserve borders Laos to the east and Myanmar to the west (Mekong region or upper Mekong basin). Currently, it comprises the largest and most comprehensive tropical forest in China. Due to its unique geographic and climate aspect, it contains the richest biodiversity in China. Although the area occupies less than 1/5,000,000 of China, it comprises 4,000 vascular plant species, 102 mammal species, 400 bird species, 63 reptile species, 38 amphibian species and 100 fish species. Besides, more than 90% of China’s wild elephant population is living in this region.

Apart from its biodiversity, it is also regarded as the richest ethnically diverse area.. Among the total population of 880,000, there are Dai, Ahka, Lahu, Jinuo, Yi, Yao, Bulan, etc. They have been living in this region for generations, keeping the similar religion, culture and language with adjacent countries like Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam. Most of them are still practicing their traditional slash and burn cultivation, which is one of the major threats to development due to low soil productivity. Currently, most ethnic groups receive cash income from paddy rice, tea, rubber plantations, fruits and some non-timber forest products (NTFP). In order to settle conflicts and promote economic development, Xishuangbanna Biosphere Reserve supports pilot villages to practice sustainable development models in searching for a strategy to combine sustainable community development and nature resource conservation.