Political Consultative Conference member Lei Jufang proposes establishing a Tibetan medicine resource protection zone.

　　[Introduction] As the environment changes, the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine has come under question—and some have even suggested that “traditional Chinese medicine will be destroyed by its own herbal remedies.”

　　Political Consultative Conference member Lei Jufang proposes establishing a Tibetan medicine resource protection zone.

　　As the environment changes, the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine has come into question—and some have even suggested that “traditional Chinese medicine will be destroyed by its own herbal medicines.” Today, the conservation and sustainable use of Chinese medicinal material resources, as well as the standardization of their cultivation and breeding, have become the most pressing issues in the Chinese medicine community. In contrast, the situation facing ethnic medicines is even more serious. Many ethnic medicines rely entirely on wild resources, and with the rapid development of the ethnic medicine industry, exploitative harvesting in certain regions has led to a year-on-year depletion of some medicinal resources, leaving them on the brink of extinction.

　　On March 3, Lei Jufang, a member of the 12th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and Chairwoman of Qizheng Tibetan Medicine, submitted a proposal to establish a Tibetan medicine resource conservation zone. The proposal pointed out that the Tibetan Plateau is an area in China with a fragile ecosystem and diverse plant resources, making the establishment of a Tibetan medicine resource conservation zone both extremely important and urgent. Her proposal has received support from experts in the traditional Chinese medicine community.

　　In an interview with a reporter from the Science and Technology Daily, Lei Jufang said, “On the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, there are simply too many treasures. Surveys show that the plateau boasts rich biodiversity and Tibetan medicinal herbs exhibit remarkable therapeutic effects. The survey indicates that Tibet is home to 2,436 species of Tibetan medicinal resources, including 2,172 plant species, 214 animal species, and 50 mineral species. Cordyceps, Rhodiola rosea—and other precious Tibetan medicines with unique therapeutic properties—originate from this region. However, along with the rapid development of the Tibetan medicine industry, some Tibetan medicinal resources are being subjected to predatory exploitation. As a result, certain medicinal resources are becoming increasingly scarce year by year, and some even face the threat of extinction, posing significant challenges to the sustainable development of Tibetan medicine.”

　　Currently, China does not have any specialized institutions dedicated to the protection of Tibetan medicine or protected areas for Tibetan medicinal resources—even botanical gardens are lacking. The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has an elevation ranging from over 8,000 meters at its highest point to just over 100 meters at its lowest, making it exceptionally rich in plant resources that hold immense ecological and medicinal value.

　　Lei Jufang emphasized, “We must establish protected areas for Tibetan medicinal resources, enhance our capacity for research and development in Tibetan medicine resources, promote the cultivation and conservation of wild and semi-wild Tibetan medicinal herbs, and simultaneously advance large-scale, standardized cultivation. This will enable us to use Tibetan medicinal resources effectively and rationally, reduce the overexploitation of precious wild resources, minimize human-induced environmental damage, and create conditions for both natural self-recovery and human-assisted ecological restoration.”

　　In 1997, Qizheng Tibetan Medicine established a 3,000-mu Tibetan medicinal herb conservation base in Nanyi Gou, Linzhi, Tibet. The conservation base was set up in an area rich in species and particularly vulnerable to destruction, where protected zones were established and developed in a rational manner, allowing the region’s resources to grow naturally. This initiative has facilitated experimental surveys and conservation research on organically grown Tibetan medicinal herbs native to Tibet, yielding significant social benefits and providing an excellent model for establishing Tibetan medicinal herb resource conservation areas.

　　For businesses, the Linzhi Conservation Area represents a significant investment. Yet Lei Jufang has a long-term vision. She says, “I believe it’s worth the investment. We must cultivate medicinal herbs at the source that can actually cure diseases, and we must ensure the sustainable development of Tibetan medicine.” The value of Lei Jufang’s establishment of the Tibetan Medicine Conservation Area in Linzhi goes beyond the company’s purely economic objectives. However, after nearly ten years of operation, Qizheng Tibetan Medicine has also reaped substantial economic rewards.

　　According to reporters, China’s “11th Five-Year Plan” and “12th Five-Year Plan” already included policies supporting species conservation in Tibet. However, experts hope that policy support will be further strengthened, with the establishment of a Tibetan medicinal resource conservation area centered on Tibet itself, and inclusion of such efforts into the national “13th Five-Year Plan” major project pool for the protection and development of Chinese medicinal materials. Miao Jianhua, director of the Guangxi Medicinal Plant Garden, believes that establishing a Tibetan medicinal resource conservation area in Tibet holds significant scientific, clinical, ecological, and economic value. He suggests implementing on-site conservation measures; conducting ex situ conservation; and promoting in vitro conservation efforts by setting up germplasm and gene banks for Tibetan medicinal plants. This would involve preserving and studying seeds, tissues, organs, DNA, and other parts or tissues of endangered or endemic Tibetan medicinal resources, thereby preventing species degradation and ensuring the protection, optimized regeneration, and sustainable utilization of these rare and endangered Tibetan medicinal resources. Additionally, building upon the conservation efforts, comprehensive development and utilization of Tibetan medicinal resources should also be pursued.

　　Reporting media: Science and Technology Daily – China Science and Technology Network

　　Report link: http://www.wokeji.com/zhengwu/tjxw/201603/t20160303_2286247.shtml