Work

Securing the future of Hainan’s Tropical Rainforest: challenges and strategies for conservation

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The Hainan’s Tropical Rainforest is China’s largest and best-preserved tropical rainforest, holding critical biodiversity value in the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot. Established as the Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park (HTRNP) in 2021, it encompasses 95% of the island’s rainforest, safeguarding numerous endemic and protected species, including the endangered Hainan gibbon. Despite its ecological significance, the park faces severe anthropogenic threats, including deforestation driven by agricultural expansion, illegal mining, and hydropower development. These activities fragment habitats, disrupt species movement, and degrade essential ecosystem services such as water regulation and carbon sequestration. This commentary examines the current challenges to the park’s integrity and proposes a multifaceted conservation approach, focusing on strengthened enforcement, community engagement, policy implementation, and scientific monitoring. We advocate for a technology-driven enforcement system, sustainable livelihoods for local communities, and restoration of ecological connectivity to ensure the long-term protection of this invaluable ecosystem. Immediate and comprehensive action is crucial to preserve Hainan’s Tropical Rainforest as a global biodiversity treasure.

Source: Frontiers in Forests and Global Change

DOI: 10.3389/ffgc.2025.1576900

Authors: Shijie Wang, Chunping Xie

Language: English

Topic: Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource Management

Subfield: Global and Planetary Change

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Life on land

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,353

Funder: National Natural Science Foundation of China