In a nutshell

In the late 1980s, the people and government of Lin’an County were facing a timber-dependent economy, adversely affected by forest loss and degradation. Bamboo monoculture was generating negative ecological impacts and reducing biological diversity. Together with the Chinese Academy of Forestry, they began looking to develop non-timber forest products (NTFPs), such as hickory nuts as well as value added-bamboo products as alternate sources of income.

In 1999, Lin’an joined the IMFN to further innovation in forest governance.  Lin’an became one of the most successful forestry districts in China, particularly for bamboo shoots and hickory production, as well as ecotourism.

Landscape

Approximately 78.2% of the land is forested, predominately mountainous; the total standing forest stock in the whole region is 14,169,700 m³. Dominant species include bamboo, pine, Chinese fir (Cunninghamia), hickory, and broad-leaved trees.

Biodiversity conservation is important to Lin’an, where two nature reserves were established. Major rivers in Lin’an include Zhong-tiao-xi, Nan-tiao-xi, Chnag-hua-xi, and Tian-mu-xi which belong to water systems of Yangtze River and Qiantang River. The total drainage area of the water system is about 2,971 km², accounting for 94.8% of the total land area of Lin’an.

Lin’an is affiliated to Hangzhou City, 50 kilometers away. This area includes 13 towns and townships, 287 village committees and 11 communities. Approximately 400,000 people inhabit rural areas. In 2016, the GDP of Lin’an was 50.517 billion yuan (around 7 billion USD) with disposable income per capita of approximately 6,450 USD.

Partnership

The partnership committee is comprised of 28 partners. Members of this committee include forest research and education institutes, government sector, NGOs, private companies, villages, and others.

The members of partnership as of 2018 are:

• Chinese Academy of Forestry
• University of Agriculture and Forestry of Zhejiang
• Lin’an Forestry Bureau
• Association of Bamboo Industry of Lin’an
• Association of Bamboo Culture of Lin’an
• Association of Hickory
• The Service Center on Modern Forestry Science and Technology of Lin’an
• Taihu Yuan village
• Baisha Village
• Dongken Village
• Gaoyun Village
• Bainiu Vilage
• Chinese torreya Cooperatives of Gaoyun of Lin’an
• Kangxing Food Company of Hangzhou

There is an executive committeeformed by the Chinese Academy of Forestry, Lin’an Forestry Bureau, and University of  Agriculture and Forestry of Zhejiang Province. There is also a secretariat, as well as several subgroups under the partnership focused on the following areas: Bamboo shoots, Hickorynuts, eco-tourism, and Chinese torreya.

Sustainability

Strategic goals:

• Partnership development;
• Forest products development which meet requirements of eco-environment;
• Forest ecosystem services enhancement;
• Capacity building for relevant stakeholders;
• Experience sharing within China and with other countries.

Key actions in place to reach these goals:

• Evaluation of forest ecosystem health in Lin’an:
• Sustainable management of NTFPs;
• Study of forest ecosystem services, especially forest carbon (climate change);
• Training and consultant services to farmers and partners from enterprises on NTFPs, forest certification, forest carbon, etc.

Key impacts:

• Creation of a National demonstration site on Sustainable Forest Management;
• International cooperation site in China;
• Active demonstration site for implementation of the UNFF Forest Instrument, including development of a work plan;

Training on NTFPs – more than 5 000 people, mainly farmers, as well as disabled people, have been trained.