Protecting Tibetan medicinal resources through land conservation.

　　The current situation—where Tibetan medicinal resources are being exploited in a predatory manner and are becoming increasingly scarce year after year—has deeply worried Lei Jufang, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. At this year’s Two Sessions, she specially organized a proposal exchange meeting. At the meeting, together with traditional Chinese medicine experts Chen Shilin and Miao Jianhua, she issued a joint appeal—

　　Protecting Tibetan medicinal resources through land conservation.

　　On March 2, the day before the opening of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, a lively exchange meeting on the "Proposal for Establishing a Tibetan Medicine Resource Protection Zone" was held in the Beijing office of Tibet Qizheng Tibetan Medicine Co., Ltd. The not-so-large conference room was packed with reporters from major media outlets, who surrounded Lei Jufang, a member of the National Committee of the CPPCC and Chairwoman of Tibet Qizheng Tibetan Medicine Co., Ltd., asking her questions nonstop.

　　“I hope the state will include the construction of Tibetan medicine resource protection zones as a key project in the 13th Five-Year Plan.” This year, Lei Jufang brought seven proposals to the session, and the very first one was about protecting Tibetan medicine resources. “This proposal is of immense significance,” said Chen Shilin, Director of the Institute of Chinese Materia Medica at the China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, who also participated in the exchange meeting. According to him, 20% of the world’s medicinal plants are currently endangered or facing extinction, and nearly all Tibetan medicines are derived from wild plants, making them particularly vulnerable to extinction. “It is absolutely essential to establish core protection zones and delineate protected areas in the Tibetan regions,” he urged journalists to pay close attention to this proposal.

　　According to surveys, Tibet boasts 2,436 species of Tibetan medicinal resources. However, with the rapid development of the Tibetan medicine industry in recent years, instances of exploitative harvesting of certain Tibetan medicinal resources have become increasingly common. As a result, some medicinal resources are dwindling year by year and even face the threat of extinction. Lei Jufang cited an example: “Wild Tibetan iris used to be abundant in the Lalu Wetland, but now it’s virtually impossible to find in Tibet. Other resources that have suffered from exploitative harvesting include cordyceps and rhodiola rosea.”

　　Many Tibetan medicinal herbs grow in specialized environments with stringent requirements for altitude, temperature, and other factors. When transplanted to lower-altitude regions, their medicinal efficacy often diminishes, thereby increasing the difficulty of cultivating these herbs artificially. Lei Jufang explained that since 1996, Qizheng Tibetan Medicine has been conducting research on the conservation, cultivation, and wild restoration of Tibetan medicinal materials. Currently, the company operates bases covering a total area of 103,200 mu and has undertaken conservation and cultivation studies on 31 different species of Tibetan medicinal herbs. In addition to actively protecting these resources, Qizheng does not include any varieties involving resource concerns in its major product development programs.

　　The more she does, the more Lei Jufang feels the importance and urgency of establishing a protected area for Tibetan medicinal plant resources. In her proposal, she writes: “Currently, both domestically and internationally, efforts to protect Tibetan medicinal resources are extremely weak; there is still no dedicated institution for the protection of Tibetan medicines nor any designated protected areas for Tibetan medicinal resources.” She further notes that “the sustainable development of the Tibetan medicine industry faces serious challenges.” Lei Jufang proposes establishing a Tibetan medicinal resource protection zone centered on Nanyigou in Linzhi, Tibet, while also adopting a comprehensive, multi-point layout—spanning from the high-altitude Ali region down to the low-altitude Motuo—based on ecological characteristics. She expresses her hope that “the national government will step up its support.”

　　“The only region in the country without a botanical garden is Tibet,” said Miao Jianhua, director of the Guangxi Medicinal Plant Garden, who also participated in the exchange. He provided reporters with a detailed analysis and explanation of Tibet’s geographical and environmental characteristics, as well as the advantages of establishing a Tibetan medicinal resource conservation area centered on Tibet itself. Miao Jianhua believes that protecting Tibetan medicinal resources and achieving their sustainable development is a long-term process. From environmental restoration and nurturing conservation research to cultivating talent, every stage requires substantial investment in resources, manpower, and time. While these efforts may not immediately translate into higher sales or profits for enterprises, they are crucial for ensuring the sustainable development of the Tibetan medicine industry and for continuously enhancing the quality and competitiveness of Tibetan medicines.

　　After establishing resource conservation areas, how can Tibetan medicinal materials be protected step by step? Lei Jufang suggests that, first, Tibetan medicines in core conservation areas should be protected in situ. Next, for key large-scale medicinal plant species as well as currently rare and endangered varieties, ex-situ conservation efforts should be carried out in places such as Nyingchi, Ali, Shannan, and Chayu. As a third step, in vitro conservation should be further promoted, with the establishment of germplasm and gene banks for Tibetan medicinal materials. This will involve preserving seeds, tissues and organs, DNA, and other organs or tissues of endangered or endemic Tibetan medicinal resources, and conducting research on germplasm resources, wild cultivation, semi-wild cultivation, conversion of wild plants into cultivated ones, domestication, introduction of species from other regions, and development of substitutes for rare and endangered Tibetan medicinal resources. Finally, building upon the protection of Tibetan medicinal resources, we should pursue comprehensive utilization and development, thereby promoting low-carbon economic development in Nyingchi, Tibet, and creating an industrial park integrating three key sectors: resource industries, natural pharmaceutical and health product manufacturing and processing industries, and eco-friendly leisure tourism.

　　“It may still take another 30 years for Chinese manufacturing to lead the world. We’re currently undergoing a transformation, and we need a group of people and a group of enterprises that will stay committed to ensuring quality and preserving the original, authentic essence. At Qizheng, we’ll keep walking this path,” said Lei Jufang.

　　Reporting media: China Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine

　　Report link: http://paper.cntcm.com.cn/html/content/2016-03/04/content_447907.htm