Giant Panda: What and Why We Should Learn There are five ways we can improve our life Well- beings, BE ACTIVE, TAKE NOTICE, CONNECT, KEEP LEARNING and GIVE. This trip offers YOU the chance to learn and involve in the important work of Giant Panda conservation, as well as exploring the stunning natural beauty and mouth- watering organic gastronomy of Sichuan. We are not spectators but participate and really experience the conservation of panda full- on. When we work on the development of a city or village, we should also consider the natural living environment for the animals. It shouldn't be that we just think of giving them food and lodging inside a house. Well, yes, living better is more than just having a place to stay and having enough food to eat. Free life and exerting innate habits are also needed for all the animals. Can Giant Pandas really return to wild? What can we do to help them toughen up, completely shake off dependence on humans and integrate into a wild population? These are still questions for scientists, and for we every single human being. But can we really participate in those important amazing work as a traveler? What have been done? And how we can spread positive impact? Giant pandas at the center, Luo Peng Location: Ya an, Sichuan Theme: Giant Panda conservation Style: Learning Physical rating: Moderate Recommended seasons: Spring(March, May) Autumn (August, September) Group size: Min 3, Max 12 Departure: Upon request
Sample itinerary (7 days, 6 nights) Day1 Ya an downtown, stay at locally owned and managed cozy hotel Pick- up at Chengdu airport, 1.5 hours driving to Ya an downtown Highlights: History, culture and gastronomy Leisurely evening walk along the city s river Opening reception, pre- visit lecture/training workshop Day2 Ya an Bifengxia Giant panda center, stay at cozy hotel in downtown Highlights: Volunteering work Feeding and close interaction with the baby pandas Natural scenic Interpretation work Day3 Habitat of wild Giant Panda, stay at Shimian County Highlights: Crisis for Giant Panda at Xiaoxiangling Collecting baby bamboos, mushrooms and other wild favors Hydropower stations on the Dadu River and the impacts to the environment Beauty of nature ( 巴蜀 ) Day4 Liziping Nature Reserve, stay at Mamadi station of the reserve Highlights: The only river without power station in Shimian- Luding River in the reserve Learn about the conservation work at the reserve Local people and Yi culture Public participation in conservation of pandas- Discussion on sustainability Day5 Liziping Nature Reserve, stay at the reserve Sunrise in the mountain, looking into Gongga Hiking and tracking the panda in the wild with scientists Forest vertical structure and different scenic: coniferous forest, alpine meadow and rich biodiversity Hot spring in the wild Campfire party with local people Day 6 Sichuan flavor exploration, homestay at Hanyuan County, Highlights: Exploring the ancient commercial passage, Tea- Horse Road Local Sichuan flavor, cherry harvest, organic farming Farewell ceremony and party Day7 Back to Chengdu airport via the highway More to read>>>
Note: 1. The condition in the field is relatively limited. But you will know that we are trying best and will be doing any triviality to satisfy you. And as you know, we want YOU to enjoy the real and free time in the nature. For most of the ideas, we deliberately arrange cozy accommodations as our home base before heading to the wild. 2. There is one and a half day hiking (averagely 5 hours per day) in the reserve, which requires moderate physical strength and an alpenstock may help. We'll prepare refreshments for the hiking in the wild. 3. For one night (Day4) at Liziping Nature Reserve, we ll stay at the Mamadi research monitoring station, which is designed by CUHK. The facility is quite basic without hot water shower. Please also bring sleeping bag for your convenience. A mobile lightning may help too. 4. There is no mobile signal and electricity in the mountain for a whole day and a half (Day 4 and 5). Please make sure you get your digital facilities well prepared. 5. About the group: 17 years old and above, limited in 12 persons Experiences YOU Taste Close to the most amazing creature in the world Learn about Giant Panda, take care of the baby pandas in the center and participate in the conservation work. Pandas at the Center Ya an Bifengxia Giant Panda Center A Mouth watering taste of Sichuan The distinct geographic location created the uniqueness of Sichuan - stunning scenic, rich biodiversity, abundant history and culture, hunger arousing cuisine,
and enthusiastic people (like our Founder, Luo Peng). Is there a particular word to describe the whole Sichuan? Nope. But you just know when you are there. Red Beach at the reserve Sichuan Liziping National Nature Reserve Hard work to list, just TOO many to show Yi style BBQ Luo Peng
Organic Farming and Fair Trade Traditional hand made noodles Luo Peng Cheery Luo Peng Thanks to their knowledge of traditional farming, our supplier farmers provide you the healthiest food without chemicals during the planting and of strictly controlled origin. You can relax in the knowledge that all the foods you have are strictly controlled with transparency that you even can taste the cherry (for example) on the tree, and track the farming processing as well if you d like.
Meanwhile, EcoAction tries every possible way to promote fair trade and minimize economic leakage. We deliberately choose local suppliers and pay directly to the local farmers for their products and service. Besides, we motivate and train to empower them and create a direct- to- customer sales distribution network. Stories YOU Contribute As always the practitioner, we strongly believe these can promote our Well- beings: BE ACTIVE, TAKE NOTICE, CONNECT, KEEP LEARNING and GIVE, which a responsible traveler is also implementing. Time: Volunteering in helping captive- bred pandas back to the wild. Help with experts in the field tracking pandas and collecting research data. Talent: Join us and discuss with us how we can do better and help more with local sustainable development. Money: We deliberately choose the local suppliers so that we can minimize the economic leakage and help locally mostly. What s more, at EcoAction, 5% of your payment directly supports the non- profit projects for the conservation and local community. And, there is beyond more. Story I Key Aim of Conservation Independence As we believe, the aim of conservation is to help the wild creatures live in the nature independently freely. We respect different lives, because we human are only a species of this world, equal to other thousands of. The key work (most challenging too) of Giant Panda conservation nowadays, is to send captive- bred pandas back to the wild and track them reproducing successfully in the wild. At the Liziping Nature Reserve, Ya an, Sichuan, captive- bred pandas were released and have been tracking and under surveillance through GPS hoop by scientists. Every single day, the scientists and staff of the reserve travel over mountains to track the pandas. Buffering spot for pandas releasing Luo Peng
Story II Local Ethnic Community Empowerment The key of any conservation story is still people. It is essential and indispensable to involve local people in protecting their own home and environment because they depend on and live harmony with the nature for generations. EcoAction s core value and proposition is to empower local community and give them decent alternatives to live on. Liziping National Nature Reserve locates in the Yi Minority County, where a village is only several kilometers away. Besides the environmental education to locals, we hope sustainable agriculture and by- products fair trade tourism, can economically help local people, so as to involve them positively in conservation. Au Jihua is a very successful story of local participation. Jiahua, Yi, was born and grew up in the village and now is working in the reserve on pandas tracking project. He s also helped and guided several PhD students in the wild. Jiahua will be one of our local guides in the reserve too. Lovely Yi children in traditional clothing, Jiahua s daughter Au Jiahua Story III Power and Impact of Participants Being the Change Ecotourism is defined as "responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well- being of local people." (TIES 1990) As a responsible traveler, we hope YOU to actively learn about and be involved in the program of conservation as well as local development, meanwhile, to
experience the most authentic traveling. Furthermore, another important part of conservation is to improve the environmental awareness of public. We hope people learn about nature and appreciate nature, then participate in nature conservation. And YOU, can be the best ambassador for this positive impact! CUHK has helped the building of Mamadi Monitoring station deep in the mountain, which uses environment-friendly passive thermal control system and helps the conservation work much more convenient and efficient. Just as the designer, Professor ZHU Jingxiang at CUHK, said, design for the user, we hope the social responsibility of designer is the pioneering work of our travelers social responsibility. Yes, this pioneering work is only the very beginning and we sincerely don't want to stop but to spread and promote the positive impact. And as you know, we still can do more and help more. Share the story, be the ambassador of the CHANGE! Mamadi Monitoring Station deep in the mountain, designed by CUHK Sichuan Liziping National Nature Reserve & Luo Peng
Installing the infrared camera Sichuan Liziping National Nature Reserve Panda captured by the infrared camera Sichuan Liziping National Nature Reserve
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