Promote sustainable forest management (SFM) and restoration in hilly and low mountain areas of Southern China to enhance forest productivity, carbon storage, and livelihoods, serving as a regional model.

Effective technical methods and strategies on sustainable management and restoration of forest at the landscape level will be developed and demonstrated.

The carbon accounting methodology for SFM and restoration at the project level will be established.

Knowledge and experience exchange in SFM and restoration among Asia-Pacific region will be promoted.

Demonstration on Sustainable Forest Management and Restoration: Establishment of 160 hectares of demonstration plots in Qingyang and Lin’an to showcase forest restoration and sustainable management practices.

Accounted Forest Carbon Storage and Sinks in Target Areas: Development of methodologies for carbon accounting specific to the hilly areas of Southern China, with assessments of baseline carbon pools and dynamic changes in forest carbon storage.

Enhanced Capacity Building and Information Sharing: Training of nearly 600 individuals through courses, with extensive dissemination of project findings through publications, brochures, and media coverage.

The project demonstrated significant environmental and socio-economic benefits in the hilly and low mountain areas of Southern China. Through the implementation of various forest management models across Qingyang and Lin’an, the project enhanced carbon sequestration, biodiversity, and the economic viability of local forests.

Environmental Impacts:

The forest management models increased forest quality, soil carbon storage and overall forest carbon sequestration capabilities.

Biodiversity enhancements were evident with increased species richness following the introduction of mixed-species models.

Socio-Economic Impacts:

Local communities benefited from improved forest productivity and diversification of forest-based income sources, such as through the introduction of undergrowth species like Polygonatum cyrtonema, which has high market demand.

Training programs significantly enhanced local capacity in sustainable forest management and carbon accounting, crucial for future participation in carbon markets.

The project’s success in integrating ecological management with economic benefits provides a replicable model for sustainable rural development in forest-dependent communities.