(Originally published on 10/05/2016)

September 2, Qinghai- A series of training courses on Wide Animal and Plant Monitoring Technology was hosted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)-Global Environment Facility (GEF) project- “Strengthening the effectiveness of the protected area system in Qinghai Province, China to conserve globally important biodiversity” (hereby referred as UNDP-GEF Qinghai project), with the goal to strengthen the standardization and institutionalization of monitoring and management of the natural reserves in Qinghai province.

Over 20 staff from nature reserves in Qinghai province, such as the Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve (NNA), received the training from conservation and biological experts from the Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology and Chinese Academy of Sciences. Not only did they learn skills and techniques in monitoring and identification of wide animal and plant in Qinghai , but also went into the field at Luke Lake-Toson Lake Nature Reserve and Sacsaoul Forest Nature Reserve together with the experts to gain hands-on experience.

 “The training combined theory with practice,” said Gao Nairui, the project assistant of Qinghai Project, “ which helped the trainees to gain an all-round understanding of identification, monitoring technology, content, index and time of different kinds of biological wild animals and plants.”  By bringing in new experiences and knowledge to managers in natural reserves, the training also laid a solid foundation for standardization and institutionalization of monitoring natural reserves.

UNDP has partnered with the People’s Government of Qinghai Province since 2012 to implement the UNDP-GEF Qinghai Project, with the goal to strengthen the provincial PA system and help it fulfil its mandate to safeguard its globally significant biodiversity. These training courses will help promote the implementation of wild animals and plants monitoring technology regulations, and further contribute to biodiversity protection in Qinghai province.