Up to 550 species of rare plants in the Three Gorges dam area are being saved from extinction by Chinese scientists. 

The myricaria laxiflora is one of a number of rare plants that survived the Fourth Glacier Epoch 125,000 years ago. This and some other species only grow in the area around the Three Gorges, and are now being threatened by the giant hydropower project. 

The Three Gorges is one of the largest homes to rare plants in China, and 550 kinds are under threat from the dam. 

To carry out their mission, Chinese experts first plant the rare species in an artificial environment to increase numbers, then replant them in a deep and narrow canyon known as 'Sixi' in the Three Gorges Area. 

More than 40,000 rare seedlings are said to be doing well in their new habitat. Lin Youxing, one of the local botanists, said the homecoming of these rare plants has resulted in successfully maintaining the original biological chain of plants in the Three Gorges area as well as the resources of botanic species for the future development of human beings.
Three Gorges project builders have attached unprecedented priority to bioenvironmental protection among water conservancy projects in China and also in the world, according to Huang Zhenli, a member of the expert team. 

According to official sources, the government has spent 400,000 Yuan (US$48,192) on financing and researching into the protection of the rare plants. 

The government has allocated more than 900 million Yuan (US$108 million) for environmental protection in the area, including 16 million Yuan (US$1.9 million) for protecting plants. 

Wu Jinqing, head of an expert team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said it took the scientists more than three years to find a new habitat for rare plants. 

The Chinese Government also plans to set up a number of nature reserves for the same purpose in the Three Gorges. 

2001/05/22 
Source: Xinhuanet