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Protection of Metasequoia glyptostroboides Hu et Cheng in China

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Forestry Studies in China

Abstract

Metasequoia (Metasequoia glyptostroboides Hu et Cheng) is an important but endangered tree species. In a sense, the course of protection of the metasequoia can be considered a miniature of the history of the protection of rare Chinese plants over the past 50 years. The approval and establishment of the National Class Nature Reserve for metasequoia is a milestone in this course. A thorough understanding of this course is beneficial to design the correct future protection plans and for taking effective measures. In this paper the entire protection course of metasequoia is reviewed, three detailed measures are proposed according to the present situation and existing problems and discussed as follows. 1) We should reinforce unceasingly the establishment of National Nature Reserves of metasequoia, put emphasis on the protection of the original natural mother trees (ONMTs) of metasequoia, design farsighted projects to protect the ONMTs and strictly implement and enforce the regulations or laws regarding the protection of metasequoia. The establishment and functions of the organization should meet the demands of protecting the ONMTs and developing metasequoias. The budget should support and the quality of the personnel assigned to this task should satisfy the protection and development of the ONMTs. We should also promote the complete protection of the ONMTs at the same time and strengthen the protection and restoration of the ONMTs and their ecosystem in the Xiaohe valley, Lichuan County, Hubei Province, one of the natural concentration areas of ONMTs in the world. 2) A gene bank should be established for comprehensive protection of the genes of existing original mother trees of metasequoia. 3) The key is to study the theoretical fundamentals of restoration and re-establishment of natural vegetation of metasequoia in the Xiaohe valley to harmonize the relation among environmental departments, forestry sectors, academies of sciences and other educational or research units, to carry out scientific research and strengthen academic exchanges to promote jointly the protection and utilization of metasequoia and other natural resources in China.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Planning and Design Academy of Forest Products Industry, State Forestry Administration, Beijing, 100010, P. R. China

    Xi-qun Wang & Bao-xiang Guo

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  1. Xi-qun Wang
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  2. Bao-xiang Guo
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Correspondence to Xi-qun Wang.

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Wang, Xq., Guo, Bx. Protection of Metasequoia glyptostroboides Hu et Cheng in China. For. Stud. China 11, 249–257 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11632-009-0036-z

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