China - Guangxi Integrated Forestry Development and Conservation Project

Page 1 INTEGRATED SAFEGUARDS DATASHEET APPRAISAL STAGE I. Basic Information Date prepared/updated: 05/08/2006 Report No.: AC2109 1. Basic Project Data Country: China Project ID: P088964 Project Name: Guangxi Integrated Forestry Development and Conservation Project Task Team Leader: Jin Liu GEF Focal Area: B-Biodiversity Global Supplemental ID: P087318 Estimated Appraisal Date: June 4, 2006 Estimated Board Date: November 14, 2006 Managing Unit: EASRD Lending Instrument: Specific Investment Loan Sector: Forestry (100%) Theme: Other environment and natural resources management (P);Rural non-farm income generation (S) IBRD Amount (US$m.): 100.00 IDA Amount (US$m.): 0.00 GEF Amount (US$m.): 5.25 PCF Amount (US$m.): 0.00 Other financing amounts by source: BORROWER/RECIPIENT 63.02 LOCAL SOURCES OF BORROWING COUNTRY 26.99 LOCAL FARMER ORGANIZATIONS 9.34 99.35 Environmental Category: B - Partial Assessment Simplified Processing Simple [] Repeater [] Is this project processed under OP 8.50 (Emergency Recovery) Yes [ ] No [ ] 2. Project Objectives The overall project development objective is to significantly improve the effectiveness of forest management and institutional arrangements in timber production, watershed protection and nature reserves management. 3. Project Description In order to achieve the above objectives, the project would finance four components: (a) expanding timber plantations for increase wood production; (b) increasing ecological forest cover for greater watershed protection; (c) strengthening management of nature reserves to protect biodiversity; and (d) enhancing institutional and management capacity. 4. Project Location and salient physical characteristics relevant to the safeguard analysis The project areas are located in the northern subtropical zone of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (GZAR). The zone has a monsoon humid climate with mean annual Page 2 rainfall of between 1,250-1,750 mm. The mean annual temperature ranges between 17- 22oC. GZAR is in south China, in the upper and middle reaches of the Pearl River. It is located southeast of Yunnan and the Guizhou Plateau with mountainous and hilly topography in the NW, much of it limestone karst, and flatter, low-lying land in the SE. It is a biologically-diverse area much of which falls within the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot. The limestone karst areas cover about 38 per cent of GZAR, mainly in the NW part and have many range-restricted and threatened species associated with them. 5. Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialists 6. Safeguard Policies Triggered Yes No Environmental Assessment (OP/BP 4.01) X Natural Habitats (OP/BP 4.04) X Forests (OP/BP 4.36) X Pest Management (OP 4.09) X Cultural Property (OPN 11.03) X Indigenous Peoples (OP/BP 4.10) X Involuntary Resettlement (OP/BP 4.12) X Safety of Dams (OP/BP 4.37) X Projects on International Waterways (OP/BP 7.50) X Projects in Disputed Areas (OP/BP 7.60) X II. Key Safeguard Policy Issues and Their Management A. Summary of Key Safeguard Issues 1. Describe any safeguard issues and impacts associated with the proposed project. Identify and describe any potential large scale, significant and/or irreversible impacts: No potential large scale, significant and/or irreversible impacts have been identified by the EIA and SA conducted during project preparation. The project complies with the Bank's Forest Policy and no conversion or degradation of critical or other natural habitats will occur as a result of the Project. No involuntary population relocation or land acquisition is expected under the project. However, some potentail loss of land or assets might occur due to small-scale infrastructure construction that will be identified through community -based planning processes during project implementation. As the SA indicates, most of the minority groups wish to participate in the project. They are presently vulnerable to poverty incidence and a difficult environment. The EMDP therefore sets forth the practical steps that will be taken to ensure that they have equitable opportunities to take part and benefit from the project. There are no known archeological and historical sites that would be put at risk under the project. 2. Describe any potential indirect and/or long term impacts due to anticipated future activities in the project area: The GIFCP has been assigned an EA category