Recently, students who major in Rural Regional Development at China Agricultural University contacted China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) for an investigation. Dr. Zhou Jinfeng, Secretary-General, and Pangolin Girl Sophia met the students and gave big support.
Dr. Zhou introduces key projects carried out by CBCGDF and the background. He stresses that CBCGDF values public participation in conservation. A majority of programs are conducted by volunteers in the frontline and can be classified into different categories: biodiversity investigation/conservation, Ecological Civilization planning, environmental public interest litigation, Community Conservation Area (CCAfa) system, etc.
Dr. Zhou admits that weak public awareness of ecology and biodiversity and the lack of talents are the challenges for social organizations to develop programs. Fortunately, the situation has improved as progress has been made continuously in legislation, enforcement, and public participation.
About the project implementation, CBCGDF assigns tasks to everyone on the basis of emergency, importance, and anticipative social effect, so as to make sure that every project can proceed orderly. With the incentive of openness and transparency, volunteers, experts, and even those who oppose the project will be invited for discussion to develop the most effective method, make the most of talents, and combine resources and social anticipation together. "You may understand it as scientific management," he says.
The COVID-19 outbreak has caused great damage to economic growth and public health. However, it also brings an unprecedented opportunity for economical conservation. So, we need to adopt a natural way to deal with ecological problems. Everyone’s effort is limited and there are limits on solving difficulties from stakeholders. During the project implementation, some colleagues quit for various reasons, but people choose to stay, and new colleagues keep joining in the team for the common goal- the love and passion for nature and biodiversity conservation.
"If I compare each individual to a tree, then CBCGDF is like an ecological tribe", Dr. Zhou says.
Pangolin has been an iconic animal who suffered from trafficking. The Director of CBCGDF's Pangolin Working Group, Sophia introduces the pangolin conservation program. Since its establishment in 2015, the conservation work has been promoted to combat pangolin smuggling and illegal trade through years: 2017-Year of Turning Point for Pangolins, 2018-Counting Year for Pangolins, 2019-Year of Justification for Pangolins. 2020 is the Year of Ultimate Fate for Pangolins. The Working Group also receives more and more invitation of international cooperation thanks to its active effort at endangered species conservation.
Dr. Zhou and Sophia also reply to students’ questions and offer referral information for the investigation.
Original Chinese article:
http://www.cbcgdf.org/NewsShow/4854/12492.html
By / Wang Yanqing