At the invitation of the Forestry Department of Hunan Province (FDHP), Vincent Martin, Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in China and two other delegates visited the Global Environment Facility (GEF) project under the Forestry Department and the West Dongting Lake Nature Reserve from November 16 to 18.

The Forestry Department of Hunan Province is in charge of the implementation of the FAO/GEF Project for Securing Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Use in China’s Dongting Lake Protected Areas. The project aims at enhancing management capability and promoting the long-term sustainable development of wetland, with a view to protect the globally important biodiversity of Dongting Lake.

During the visit, Vincent Martin and the delegation met with Hu Changqing, Party Secretary of the Forestry Department, and they talked about major national and provincial efforts and expected results of ecological protection for Dongting Lake. In the meeting with representatives from the GEF Project Management Office (PMO), the two sides held in-depth discussions on the implementation and progress of the project, as well as priorities in the next step, so as to optimize management and ensure the smooth advancement of the project.

Vincent Martin said the project of preserving biodiversity of Dongting Lake and achieving good ecological environment contributes to achieving the objectives of the China Programme Framework (CPF) of the FAO.  Dongting Lake is the first stop of his field trip among FAO entire GEF portfolio.  In the near future, thanks to the efforts of FDHP and the support of FAO Chian, the  implementation of the project will be further strengthened, so as to make the cooperation more effective and promote the ecological protection of the wetland of Dongting Lake.Vincent Martin said the project of preserving biodiversity of Dongting Lake and achieving good ecological environment is within the international cooperation framework of the FAO. The first phase of the international cooperation project previously has been a good start. Dongting Lake is the first stop of this field trip. For the next step, based on the challenges for ecological protection of Dongting Lake, the conditions for the operation and implementation of the project will be further understood, so as to make the cooperation more effective and promote the ecological protection of the wetland of Dongting Lake.

Vincent Martin and the delegates also visited the Nature Reserve of West Dongting Lake to learn about the general status of the area, and visited the core area of the Reserve and the habitat of winter birds to observe their breeds and population.

“The 3-year action plan put forward by the provincial government of Hunan Province is fully in line with the objectives and duration of the FAO/GEF project. The results of this GEF project would contribute to the common objectives of preserving this wetland and its biodiversity. FAO is in full support to keep the pace of implementation and get the best and successful impact on the ground.” said Martin.