CEPF's investment in the Mountains of Southwest China Biodiversity Hotspot was guided by the following strategic directions as outlined in the ecosystem profile.

  1. Develop and operationalize hotspot-wide monitoring and evaluation projects.
     
    • 1.1 Define five- and 10-year map-based conservation outcomes for the hotspot through a collaborative, participatory approach.
       
    • 1.2 Support projects that utilize scientific tools to evaluate changes in land cover, spatial relationships and ecosystem health.
       
    • 1.3 Establish a mechanism to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the site-specific projects and ensure adaptive management and sharing of lessons learned.
       
    • 1.4 Provide resources to track human-induced environmental trends and high-resolution monitoring to report on site-specific impacts.
       
    • 1.5 Scientific research and socioeconomic analysis to better understand biodiversity and conservation issues and threats in the region.
       
    • 1.6 Improving the credibility and scientific methodology used for biodiversity conservation research in this hotspot.
       
  2. Support site-related projects led by civil society to mitigate key threats to natural areas and species populations.
     
    • 2.1 Effective nature reserve and community resource management.
       
    • 2.2 Ecotourism and environmental education as a tool to support biodiversity conservation.
       
    • 2.3 Ecosystem restoration, especially filling in the gaps in existing governmental programs.
       
    • 2.4 Projects to reduce illegal and other unsustainable wild animals and plants trade.
       
    • 2.5 Promoting biodiversity friendly "green" production or harvest of traditional Chinese medicines.
       
  3. Build capacity of civil society to implement conservation efforts at a site and regional level.
     
    • 3.1 Assess, develop and implement a series of training programs based on the training needs in the region. Training could focus on a number of topics including reserve management, the fundamentals of green businesses, business management for conservation and environmental education.
       
    • 3.2 Provide resources for individuals in the region to participate in training opportunities.
       
    • 3.3 Establish a trainers' training program in the region to multiply transfer of skills and knowledge to conservation professionals in the region.
       
  4. Integrate biodiversity conservation concerns and benefits into the implementation of policies and programs at local, regional and national levels.
     
    • 4.1 Demonstrate best-case innovative approaches for integrating biodiversity concerns into local, regional and national development programs.
       
    • 4.2 Collect and disseminate information about biodiversity and socioeconomic benefits of conservation to improve implementation of existing government initiatives and influence national policies.
       
    • 4.3 Communicate successful examples of innovative approaches to public-private efforts to better integrate biodiversity conservation into governmental efforts.
       
  5. Develop and operationalize a small grants program focusing on conservation capacity-building and research projects.
     
    • 5.1 Provide funding to individuals and institutions for research analysis or small-scale activities that will help build the conservation capacity of civil society and/or yield measurable mitigation of threats.
       
    • 5.2 Provide technical support to trainees to enable better design and implementation of small on-the-ground projects.
       

Read more about CEPF's strategy in the hotspot in our ecosystem profile (PDF - 1.1 MB), also available in Chinese (PDF - 645 KB).