Directory of Important Bird Areas in China (Mainland) [Chinese]: Key Sites for Conservation

The IBA Directory for mainland China is the most comprehensive inventory of key sites for biodiversity in the country. China is one of the most important countries in the World for birds. It is home to over 80 globally threatened bird species and for 40 of these, China is critical for their survival. This publication identifies 512 Important Bird Areas, covering over 1 million square kilometres of Chinese habitats. It demonstrates the enormous richness of China’s biodiversity and its international importance. The IBAs are the critical places for the conservation of the birds in China and, with them, a wealth of other biodiversity. IBAs are a crucial subset of key biodiversity areas and can lead the way in helping prioritise conservation planning and financing. This is an inventory of sites that have been clearly identified through a thorough assessment of their biodiversity value. It is therefore a formidable tool to guide decision makers in governments, private sector, investment banks and donor institutions in order to avoid adverse impacts of development projects on priority sites and species, and to direct conservation funding towards clearly defined priorities.