Giant pandas a golden signboard of Sichuan's ecotourism

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

By Wang Yongzhan, People's Daily

In Sichuan, one can explore the Giant Panda National Park to observe these adorable creatures in their natural habitat. Additionally, the research bases dedicated to giant panda breeding are the perfect place for gaining insights into panda behaviors and conservation efforts.

In addition to the pandas, Sichuan offers opportunities to discover newly identified plant species, diverse companion plants and animals, and engaging natural education activities.

Since the beginning of 2024, Sichuan has launched new eco-tourism routes that connect several key points, including the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, the Wolong National Nature Reserve and the Wanglang National Nature Reserve of the Giant Panda National Park, offering visitors a unique experience.

The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is always crowded. In front of a panda-themed exhibition board on the first floor of the office building, visitors are often seen reading and learning about pandas' living habits.

The Giant Panda National Park is an important research and conservation base for the species. In recent years, the Wolong area of the park has attracted more visitors due to fascinating discoveries, such as wild panda sightings and the identification of new plant species.

Here, visitors can watch live footage of wild pandas captured by the park's monitoring cameras on large screens. With the help of local networks and ultra-shortwave transmission, along with "panda face" recognition technology, real-time images of wild pandas are now available, which significantly aids in understanding their living conditions.

Backpack on, trekking poles in hand, ranger Luo Chunping gathered his team and strode out from a protection station, heading to a fixed monitoring trail within the Wanglang area of the Giant Panda National Park.

Besides the pandas, the Wanglang area is home to 72 species of large and medium-sized mammals and over 280 species of birds, many of which are under national-level protection.

"In summer, visitors enjoy tracking and photographing plants and animals, while in winter, they come to enjoy the snow sight and learn about how the animals survive the cold," said Luo.

Thanks to various conservation efforts, the Giant Panda National Park is home to a rich diversity of plants and animals. The "umbrella species" effect of the panda is especially prominent. This term refers to how protecting a species with specific habitat needs, like the panda, also protects the broader ecosystem, benefiting many other species. In fact, by protecting pandas and their habitats, over 10,000 accompanying species, such as snub-nosed monkeys, snow leopards, and Chinese yews, are also being safeguarded.

Not long ago, a woman surnamed Lin came to the nature education center in the Wanglang area. She marveled at the ecological foundation of the area, the Minshan Mountain dynamic monitoring network, and the real-time footage of wild panda monitoring. "It's my first time in Wanglang, and I've learned so much," she said.

She then visited the Minshan Mountain national permanent sample plot, where an audio guide explained the environment, species composition, community structure, and biomass in the small units that make up the forest.

"With the audio guide and the informative signage, even as a first-time visitor, I gained a deep understanding of the plants and animals here," Lin said.

What she participated in was an educational tour themed "Giving the Primeval Forest a Check-Up," which allowed visitors to engage in environmental studies and research.

With 16 different tour routes and 18 distinct educational themes, the natural education experience at the park has become more refined. The park has divided its educational routes into four types, such as observational and research-based, to cater to visitors of all ages.

The public is not only able to participate in eco-tourism, but also receive a comprehensive natural education. The Giant Panda National Park's educational experiences continue to evolve.

"We have established a Giant Panda National Park natural education alliance, as well as two main natural education schools and 14 branches in Pingwu and Wenchuan counties. Over 1,000 people have received training, and the guide team now includes 500 members," said Zhang Liming, an official with the forestry and grassland administration of Sichuan province.

According to Zhang, the number of participants in natural education programs in the Sichuan section of the Giant Panda National Park exceeded 4.4 million last year.