TianZi Biodiversity Research & Development Centre

Yunnan, China
&
Chiang Mai, Thailand

Producing Biodiversity

A concept of the TianZi Biodiversity Research & Development Centre in response to environmental destruction and climatic change

1 Rationale

Never in human history have destructive forces against nature been faster and more irreversible than during this century. Hence, responses that cope with the speed of development, and which try to save biodiversity and ecosystem functions need to be even faster.
The TianZi Biodiversity Centre, situated in one of the fastest changing environments – the newly developing area of the Greater Mekong Region, including Yunnan, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand – is adapting speedy strategies to balance environmental losses.
As economic forces have proven to be stronger than national policies and laws, the TianZi Biodiversity Centre is attempting to create such economic power in order to design and implement novel land use systems, which favor the domestication and production of endangered species in re-established rain forest habitats.
We, at the Biodiversity Centre, will be glad to invite you and your company to join our efforts and to benefit from our strategy.

2 Strategy

Our strategic plan to produce biodiversity and protect vital ecosystem functions includes the following activities:

2.1
Co-operating with local communities and local Governments

A legally and socially supportive environment is an important pre-condition for success. This is particularly true for novel concepts, which require acceptance by village communities and approval from authorities. Fair share arrangements are essential components to convince traditional farmers that new ways of production and processing will be beneficial to their economy.

2.2
Producing and processing commercially viable quantities in cooperation with trade and industry
Small is beautiful but no longer the most powerful answer to quantitative changes as we experience them today. Endangered plant species need to be pulled out of their status as rare individuals. Domestication and large-scale production ensure their survival more than national parks. Parks are increasingly vulnerable to the growing pressure on their dwindling resources. The more rare a species, the higher is its price on the market; this considering, endangered species can no longer be saved efficiently by keeping them in reservoirs.

2.3
Finding a use for every species

The experience we made since the foundation of the TianZi Biodiversity Centre is that for every species we can find a use that is of interest to industry. It is just a matter of studying systematically all options from horticulture to medicine and even finding new industries for new products.
As a matter of principal, at TianZi we concentrate on plants for economic uses. Animals are part of the entire food-web of our land-use systems and are needed as pollinators, predators, and decomposers.

2.4
Designing close-to-nature land-use systems

To avoid the simplification and consequent environmental disasters of conventional farming, we are designing new land-use systems, which combine forestry with agriculture. These systems are developed since 1992 starting in The Philippines under the technical term “RAINFORESTATION FARMING”. Today they are successfully introduced to more South East Asian countries. The TianZi Biodiversity Centre is adapting the Rainforestation farming technology to local conditions. Rainforestation farming combines biodiversity protection with production and ensures the maintenance of ecosystem function.
Of course in our Rainforestation farms no agro-chemicals are permitted and our products receive a TianZi seal certifying that they contribute to biodiversity protection.

2.5
Linking to like-minded people world wide

We know we are not alone in our effort to change the development of our planet toward a more nature friendly path. We also know we need joint efforts with individuals as well as with institutions and companies. Therefore, we offer arrangements from scientific cooperation to sustainable tourism, trade and contract growing of rare crops.
Our projects are designed to offer new forms of partnership.

3
Projects

Presently, the TianZi Biodiversity Centre is establishing a 6 square kilometer mountain farm in the tropical rain forest area of South Yunnan. The farm is designed to become China’s first RAINFORESTATION FARM. It is envisioned that this large demonstration site will convince farmers and the Government to re-convert part of the dramatically extended rubber plantations and tea estates into Rainforestation farms. The concept will also contribute to the ADB Project on Biodiversity Corridors, particularly where conventional farmland is situated in the corridors. Universities from Germany are assisting in data generation and modeling for informed decision taking by authorities and managers.
The following sub-projects are part of the overall design. May we please invite you to take a look and – in case any item is within your reach or interest – contact us for possible co-operation:

3.1
Rainforestation farm establishment

The basic work in producing biodiversity is establishing our still very un-conventional type of farm, which resembles in its species composition and structure the natural vegetation of the area. This requires knowledge about the light and shade requirement of plants, about pollination mechanisms, and about microhabitats and their microclimate and soil conditions.
A vegetation analysis and survey of the existing fauna needs to define the area at the start, so that there is a scientific reference point for later changes.

3.2
Nursery construction and tree planting

Local tree species, which are part of the natural ecosystem and useful trees are propagated and planted in dense clusters.

3.3
Electrification

Energy used in the entire Rainforestation farm is to be generated through environment friendly technology using solar and wind power.

3.4
Contract growing of rare crops

Industry in need of specific crops may approach us for growing in accordance with their needs.

3.5
Breeding

Some plants, particularly for horticultural purposes, are exhibiting specially attractive looks when crossbred within closely related species. We have produced marvelous hybrids in orchids and wild bananas.

3.6
Organic certification

Our Rainforestation farm has never seen agro-chemicals and it is our policy to not use any. Certification will proof that our products are free from pollutants. The sub-projects are elaborated on our web-page, which gives cost estimates and explains cooperation options in detail.
Thank you for your interest. We are looking forward to a partnership for mutual interest and for making a difference in a global production and processing chain.

Your TianZi Team
Jinghong, July 2007

HOME
CULTURE
spirituality : design : water : fashion
ANIMALS
amphibia : reptilia : butterflies : panda : takin
TRAVEL
ecotourism : Xishuangbanna : Shangrila : Yunnan : Mekong
KNOWLEDGE
books : Buddhist flowers : consulting : science of ecology : medicine
PLANTS & SEEDS
bananas : ginger : herbs : orchids : trees : succulents : lianas : sacred trees
ART
Gabrielle's traditional motive Chinese jewelry : Wu Jialin's black and white photography
ECOSYSTEMS
rain forests : river banks of the Mekong : pools : sacred forests : sinter terraces : chili growing
CHINESE MEDICINE
AIDS/HIV : asthma : acne : herpes : hepatitis : cancer : diabetes : health tea : malaria : Puer tea : orchid tea
WHOLESALE

NatureProducts.Net
is the Thai internet portal for biodiversity products designed to protect endangered species in cooperation with local ethnic communities
a project of the
TianZi BIODIVERSITY RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CENTRE
Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China
© 2000 - today