The World Bank has approved a $100 million loan to help China develop and protect its forest resources. The loan is supplemented by a $5.25 million grant from the Global Environment Facilities (GEF) for biodiversity conservation.The Guangxi Integrated Forestry Development and Conservation Project aims to assist China in improving the effectiveness of its forest management and institutional arrangements in timber production, watershed protection and nature reserves management and to enhance the conservation of globally significant biodiversity in selected areas of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
The World Bank loan will finance the establishment of high-yield timber plantations and the introduction of superior genetic materials and forest management technologies.
The GEF Grant will finance the formulation and implementation of management plans for five globally significant nature reserves for demonstration purposes, the conduct of targeted biodiversity surveys and research to better integrate biodiversity conservation into the broader landscape and the strengthening of collaboration between nature reserves and local communities.
