S. China tigers: anchor of green growth

According to ancient stories, the South China tiger once roamed the mountains of Shenzhen, specifically Tanglang Mountain and Wutong Mountain. This native species lived across a vast region in China stretching between Sichuan Province to the west, Zhejiang to the east, Henan to the north, and southern Guangdong and Guangxi to the south. However, due to hunting and habitat loss, the population of South China tigers dramatically declined, and it has become one of China’s 10 most endangered species.

据古史记载，华南虎曾在深圳山区游荡，特别是塘朗山和梧桐山。这一本土物种曾在中国广泛分布，西至四川省，东至浙江，北至河南，南至广东南部和广西。然而，由于捕猎和栖息地丧失，华南虎数量急剧下降，已成为中国十大濒危物种之一。

Established in 1990, the South China Tiger Nature Reserve in Shaoguan City, northern Guangdong, houses a 30-hectare breeding center for the tigers, responsible for the species’ reproduction and potential reintroduction. However, questions remain about where to reintroduce the tigers.

华南虎自然保护区位于粤北的韶关市，成立于1990年，设有占地30公顷的繁育中心，负责华南虎的繁殖和重归山林工作。然而，关于在何处让华南虎重归山林仍是问题。

Two South China tiger cubs play at the South China Tiger Nature Reserve in Shaoguan City last year. Matteo Convertino

两只华南虎幼崽在位于韶关市的华南虎自然保护区玩耍。

The TREES Lab affiliated with Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School is working on enhancing ecosystem functions through habitat-specific forest conservation and reforestation along salient ecological corridors, using the South China tiger as an iconic species. By leveraging primary forests in northern Guangdong and neighboring provinces, they hope to build a more resilient ecosystem to fight against aggressive land development and climate change.

隶属于清华大学深圳国际研究生院的TREES Lab以华南虎为标志性物种，致力于通过针对生境的森林保护行动和沿重要生态走廊的森林修复行动来增强生态系统功能。通过利用粤北和邻近省份的原始森林，他们希望构建一个更有弹性的生态系统，以应对频繁的土地开发和气候变化。

Biodiversity conservation reduces carbon emissions and has become the focus of many biodiversity funding plans. For instance, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the World Bank are jointly developing a “tiger ecosystem bond” for several Asian countries, which relies on projected carbon revenues to finance ecosystem interventions. The issuing of this bond is projected to protect up to 10 million hectares of forests and cut 40 million tons of carbon emissions, while also financing the recovery of tiger populations.

生物多样性保护有助于减少碳排放，已成为诸多生物多样性筹资计划的重点。例如，联合国开发计划署（UNDP）和世界银行正在为多个亚洲国家发放“虎生态系统债券”，该债券依靠预计的碳收入来资助生态系统干预措施。预计发行这一债券将推动保护多达1000万公顷的森林，避免4000万吨碳排放，同时为虎种群的恢复提供资金支持。

Local actions, such as protecting salient ecological corridors and designating protected areas as tiger nature reserves, can have positive global effects, in accordance with China’s commitment to the U.N. climate-change framework. This can be particularly relevant for Shenzhen and the Greater Bay Area (GBA), as they are building transportation infrastructure to connect with northern Guangdong.

依据中国对联合国气候变化框架的承诺，一些地方性行动，如保护重要生态走廊以及将保护区指定为虎类自然保护区，将产生积极的全球影响。对于深圳和整个粤港澳大湾区而言，这一点尤为重要，因为他们正在建设与粤北相接的交通基础设施。

It is crucial to make the conservation of primary forest ecosystems a priority in future development plans. Although we may not see the South China tiger return to Shenzhen, restoring its habitats in northern Guangdong and adjacent areas provides significant benefits, for the species can serve as an example of ecological restoration across China.

把保护原始森林生态系统作为未来发展计划中的优先事项至关重要。虽然我们可能不会看到华南虎重返深圳，但恢复其在粤北及其周边地区的栖息地会产生显著效益，因为该物种可以成为中国全境生态恢复的典范。

By taking small steps every day, we can lead the way towards a more sustainable future.

每天一小步，我们会走向一个更可持续的未来。