A bird's-eye view of the Siwuling Nature Site in Yiqiao town, Xiaoshan district, Hangzhou. [Photo/WeChat account: xiaoshanyiqiao]

The Siwuling Nature Site, located in Yiqiao town, Xiaoshan district, Hangzhou, was recently shortlisted as a promising Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measure (OECM) case in China.

As the world faces the dual challenges of biodiversity loss and climate change, area-based conservation efforts are becoming increasingly important.

According to the 2020 Protected Planet Report, only 16.64 percent of the world's land and inland waters and 7.74 percent of marine areas are protected. To meet the "30 by 30" target of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework – aiming to protect 30 percent of land, inland waters, and marine areas by 2030 – initiatives like OECMs are crucial.

Siwuling covers 33 hectares and features biodiversity restoration experiments, ecological tea gardens, and educational spaces, highlighting the area's efforts to restore local ecosystems. Future plans include further developing Siwuling as a biodiversity experience center to encourage public engagement with nature conservation.

A bamboo forest is restored at the Siwuling Nature Site in Yiqiao town, Xiaoshan district, Hangzhou. [Photo/WeChat account: xiaoshanyiqiao]