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Message: <blockquote data-quote="deborah4" data-source="post: 1598795" data-attributes="member: 29880">That may have been the case a few decades ago but since the 80's when the WWFChina got involved in partnership with the Chinese Gvt, the situation has very much improved - in some areas, log clearing has halted and panda populations have stablised although in the area this has happened it only represents  15% of the total population.  The creation of 40 Panda Reserves, (protecting over 16,000 sqK of forest habitat), (still only covering 50% of Panda territory albeit), strategic planning involving local communities, the Panda Focal Project where the State Forestry is working in partnership with the WWF in China, which is establishing nature corridors, more reserves as well as working in close partnership with local communities etc etc.  All this has happened with the envolvement and support of Chinese Gvt scientists, funding from the State Forestry Departments and local people involved in monitoring and wardening now in at least 16 of the Reserves.   The Chinese Gvt with the State Foresty Dept have also carried out several national surveys/studies of Panda Populations starting in the 1970s with further studies in progress.<a href="http://www.wwfchina.org/english/sub_loca.php?loca=28&sub=87" target="_blank">http://www.wwfchina.org/english/sub_loca.php?loca=28&sub=87</a>That's simply disingenuous and very possibly untrue if you read my links on the previous page and the one I posted above - where's your evidence for such a sweeping statement?On a more general note:As for the ''we'' in terms of what people are saying on here about spending money on Panda conservation, the work has been funded by the WWF (how many people who have commented regularly contribute I wonder?), funded by China itself, and funded by donations from WWF Germany, UK and USA (the latter donating millions to start up rescue breeding programmes etc).  I believe a Belgian corporate sponsor has also donated millions.  The RSPB, as far as Im aware haven't had to divert funds for Panda conservation to the detriment of other wildlife species especially any avian species, nor as far as I know have Birdlife International.Its a bit of a mute argument re: the Panda frankly.  The WWFChina and the Chinese gvt are not going to willingly stop with the longterm community projects and planning that started in the 80s and now beginning to show fruit.   I think perhaps people need to understand that you can't build Rome in a day and that in any culture that relies heavily on it's local natural resources in order to survive, you must also help those local communities find ways of living with their local environment that isn't detrimental to them or the wildlife in it.   Any longterm conservation project where habitat vis a vis local/national resources/cultural hurdles are in conflict will face the same issues.  This is a massive longterm political, social, economical and ecological conundrum whether it be in the Brazilian rainforests, the African Amazon or the Indian sub continent. (or indeed on the open seas) and as human population increases along with declining world resources, the difficulties will increase - moving money around in a kneejerk reaction because another species is on the edge of extinction elsewhere won't achieve anything in the short term imo and will only undermine investments already made in long term conservation work.  Whether the Panda Conservation Project will work for the Panda however, is obviously open to debate and it's still on the edge.  However, the endangered Crested Ibis, the Clouded Leopard, Golden Eagle etc will all benefit from the habitat protection that's being carried out in China as will local communities as they are helped towards sustainable living in areas of prime forest habitat that will be very much a finite resource for them if long term management is not put in place.</blockquote>

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