Biodiversity conservation in China: barriers and future actions

Abstract

Four barriers impede biodiversity conservation in China. These are 1) the loss, fragmentation and disturbance of wildlife habitats; 2) the invasion of exotic species; 3) over‐harvesting and illegal hunting/trade; and 4) environmental pollution and climate change. The pressure of the large population is an additional fact, together with unsustainable socio‐economic development, inappropriate management, and a general lack of an environmentally sound attitude towards wildlife in China’s society. There is an emphatic need for family planning, moving towards ecologically sustainable development, improving the country’s overall biodiversity management systems, and promoting a social awareness of biodiversity conservation.

Keywords:

• Chinese biodiversity
• Protected areas
• Conservation management and resourcing
• Cultural attitudes towards biodiversity

Acknowledgements

I would like to express my great appreciation to Dr Michael Brett‐Crowther (Chief Editor of this journal) and to Dr John Merrick and Dr Estelle Dryland, Macquarie University, Sydney, for their academic comments and valuable suggestions.