Spatial and temporal patterns of fuelwood collection in Wolong Nature Reserve: Implications for panda conservation

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February 27, 2009 - Guangming He; Xiaodong Chen; Scott Beaer; Manuel Colunga; Angela Mertig; Li An; Shiqiang Zhou; Marc Linderman; Zhiyun Ouyang; Stuart Gage; <lishu@msu.edu>; <liuji@msu.edu>

Journal or Book Title: Landscape and Urban Planning

Keywords: Fuelwood collection; Spatio-temporal distribution; Conservation policy; Panda habitat; Wolong Nature Reserve; China

Volume/Issue: 92 (2009) 1–9

Page Number(s): 1-9

Year Published: 2009

Approximately 3 billion people, half of the world’s population, are still using fuelwood in their daily lives. Fuelwood collection has been recognized as an important factor in habitat fragmentation and degradation and biodiversity loss, especially in developing countries. Understanding spatial and temporal patterns of fuelwood collection is fundamental to understanding human–environment interactions and designing effective conservation policies. Using Wolong Nature Reserve for giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) in China as an example, we surveyed 200 rural households for the locations of their fuelwood collection sites in the past three decades (1970s, 1980s, and 1990s) and other ecological, economic, social, and demographic data. We found that fuelwood collection sites were becoming higher in elevation, more remote, and closer to highly suitable panda habitat from the 1970s to the 1990s. Consequently, fuelwood collectors were traveling longer distances to physically challenging areas, in our case, to areas of high quality panda habitat. These spatial and temporal patterns of fuelwood collection suggest that future conservation policies for giant pandas, and other species worldwide, should also consider the needs of local communities.

DOI: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2009.01.010

Type of Publication: Journal Article

Publisher: Elsevier

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