All chapters:

Introduction

Climate

Waters and water management

Ecosystems and ecoregions

Species diversity and use of biological resources

Nature conservation: econet and protected areas

Countries & cultures

Economy

Land use

International policy

Nature conservation: econet and protected areas

The three basin countries- China, Mongolia and Russia had by 2005 established approximately 700 Protected Areas (PA) that cover 235,634 km2 or about 10-11 percent of the Amur-Heilong River basin (see table on protected areas coverage below and description of Protected areas types in Russia, Mongolia, China). That figure is actually lower than the average coverage in Russia and Mongolia and barely reaches the average in China. Why should PA coverage of the Amur-Heilong River basin be less than the national averages for each basin country when we know the basin is of such high conservation importance? A variety of factors contributes to this paradox, including

An ecological network uniting the goals and strategies of the protected area systems in the three countries would be a critical step toward establishing a more widespread and ecologically effective protected area system in the Amur-Heilong River Basin as a whole. Conservation along the national borders, especially wetland conservation, grassland conservation and measures to preserve migratory wildlife should be at the heart of future protected areas planning. Cooperation between nature reserves across the border is already underway is the regions where international protected areas are established: Dauria international Protected Area-DIPA in Daurian steppe and International Khanka nature reserve at Lake Khanka. Such cooperation is also needed in virtually all major wetland regions of the Amur-Heilong River basin, especially on Sanjiang wetlands in Amur Midflow.

The Hinggan Gorge and the Land of the Leopard are two important border areas which also urgently need establishment of transboundary network of nature reserves. WWF Vision for Amur-Heilong Conservation envisions cooperation between protected areass in all transboundary ecoregions and eventual establishment of comprehensive ecological network: The Amur-Heilong Green Belt.

Table: Protected Areas in each of the three Amur-Heilong River basin countries at the end of 2005.