inadequately compensated. Finally, the lack of long-range planning and
development of good practices may increase other problems, such as erosion
and introduction of invasive species.^60
It is difficult to draw a single generalization concerning the changes in
China’s forests since the onset of economic reforms. Clearly, they provide
better refuge for species than during the Maoist era. Long-term prospects for
species diversity within China’s mostly new forests, however, would appear to
be uncertain. As a recent report indicates, protection of forest biodiversity
continues to be inhibited by ‘the population issue, excessive catching and
over-hunting, and (natural) forest area reductions’.^61
Wetlands
China has approximately 65 million hectares of wetlands, which is 10 percent
of the world’s wetland areas (the largest in Asia and fourth largest globally).
The wetlands include marshes, bogs, peat-based wetlands, coastal wetlands,
lakes, rivers, coastal shallows and mudflats, and what are called ‘artificial
wetlands’ (paddy fields). Wetlands are a large store of biodiversity, hosting
hundreds of plant species, animals, freshwater fish, and birds (including
important migratory species). They are like kidneys, purifying water for
human consumption. Seven of China’s wetlands meet the criteria of the
Ramsar convention and are Wetlands of International Importance. These
include wetlands in Zhalong in Heilongjiang, Xianghai in Jilin, Donzhaigang
in Hainan, Niaodao in Qinghai, East Dongting Lake in Hunan, Poyang Lake
in Jiangxi, and Mai Po Marsh and the inner deep bay northwest of Hong
Kong.^62
The largest threat to China’s wetlands is urbanization and conversion of
wetlands to farmland. About half of China’s coastal wetlands have been lost
through reclamation, which has reduced marine plankton and fish species, as
well as blocked estuaries and caused flooding.^63 Illegal fishing is common in
both commercial marine fisheries and rivers and lakes. Areas of mangrove
forest have declined; in Guangdong, the reported rate of recent reduction is
86 percent.^64 The digging of drainage canals for agricultural purposes has
changed wetland hydrology, as has the construction of large hydropower
projects. Air and water pollution have had an adverse effect on wetlands. One
estimate is that more than two-thirds of China’s lakes are eutrophic to some
extent.^65 Siltification has increased as a result of overlogging. Estimates
suggest that flooding disasters in the middle and downstream sections of the
Yangtze River basin and in Northeast China are a direct result of altered
wetland hydrology and decreased capacity of wetlands to store floodwater.^66
Climate change too is also a factor in the decline of wetlands.^67
Wetlands conservation is a relatively recent priority of the Chinese
58 Governance of biodiversity conservation in China and Taiwan