(Originally published on 09/02/2016)

July, 21^st- With the support of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)-Global Environment Facility (GEF) “Strengthening the effectiveness of the protected area system in Qinghai Province, China to conserve globally important biodiversity” project (hereby referred as Qinghai project), Qinghai Provincial Forestry Project Office and Qinghai Lake National Nature Reserve conducted a promotional activity during the 15^th Tour of Qinghai Lake. The activity aimed to showcase the project’s efforts on biodiversity and ecosystem protection and encouraging more people to participate into the cause.

From extensive alpine grasslands and wetlands to forests and deserts, Qinghai is home to a wide variety of globally significant but fragile ecosystems as well as the origin of several major rivers. However, the constituent flora and fauna of the province’s ecosystems are under increasing threat, making biodiversity protection increasingly urgent and prominent. With its big publicity, Tour of Qinghai Lake, the largest international annual road cycling race in China, provided a chance to increase people’s awareness on the issue.

During Tour of Qinghai Lake, Qinghai project publicized its achievements in ecosystem and biodiversity protection by setting up 32 publicity boards, giving away 300 environmentally-friendly bags and 150 postcards. In addition, Qinghai project staffs introduced to tourists and local people about relevant knowledge on biodiversity protection.

The promotional activity was well received and achieved its desired outcomes. “The activity had a very outstanding effect, greatly improving people’s awareness of environmental protection”, according to Gao Nairui, the project assistant of Qinghai project, “The Tour of Qinghai Lake this year attracted a lot of tourists and local people. We handed out postcards and environmentally-friendly bags, which had the introduction of our projects on it, and people read carefully about the words.”

UNDP has partnered with the People’s Government of Qinghai Province since 2012 to initiate the UNDP-GEF Tsinghai Project, aiming to strengthen the provincial PA system, helping it fulfil its mandate to safeguard its globally significant biodiversity. This promotional activity not only created an environmental protection atmosphere for the Tour of Qinghai Lake, but also expanded the impact of Qinghai project. What’s more, it enhanced people’s awareness of biodiversity conservation, contributing to the further biodiversity protection in Qinghai.