Rainforest brings gibbons back from edge of extinction
In South China's Hainan province, vibrant biodiversity thrives in lush tropical jungles
Ecological corridor
Li Dajiang, director of the Yinggeling Branch of Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park Administration, highlighted how scattered natural reserves in the central mountainous regions of Hainan have been consolidated into contiguous areas, forming a coherent ecological corridor.
"This transformation is steadily enhancing the diversity, stability, and sustainability of the tropical rainforest ecosystem," he said.
Hainan province has positioned the national park as one of the 12 pioneering projects for comprehensive deepening of reform and opening-up in the region. "It stands as the foremost emblematic project in building a national ecological civilization pilot zone, with the full force of the province dedicated to advancing the development of the Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park," said Zhou Yadong, chief engineer of the forestry department of Hainan province.
The park is the first in the nation to complete the calculation of Gross Ecosystem Product and has conducted GEP calculations for four consecutive years.
Experts said that each hectare of the rainforest can absorb an average of 1 to 2 metric tons of carbon annually, with its carbon sequestration capacity increasing year by year. With the implementation of stringent conservation measures, the park is poised to exhibit a higher carbon sequestration rate and greater potential for carbon sink growth.
According to calculations by the Hainan Academy of Forestry, the GEP of the Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park in 2022 amounted to 208.40 billion yuan, marking a 12.01 billion yuan increase from the previous year.
The development of carbon sink products centered around the tropical rainforest has been prioritized as a key focus area by the provincial government.
In July, the provincial forestry department hosted a tropical rainforest carbon sink trading and project cooperation signing ceremony. This represented the country's first national park carbon sink trading activity and the inaugural tropical rainforest carbon sink trading project.
