Over the summer 2007, UNDP and lead Chinese and international partners have signed the first 8 Grant Agreements on biodiversity field projects under ECBP. The projects take place in provinces, prefectures, cities and counties in Western China.

A total of 18 field projects are planned to start before the end of 2007. The ECBP grant for the field projects is the largest financial component of the ECBP programme.

The field projects are based on three principles: Partnership, Innovation and Cost Sharing.

The projects focus on issues such as ecosystem management (e.g. wetlands, grasslands, limestone and bamboo forests) and on biodiversity planning and integration into development plans (EIA, SEA, eco-compensation, agro-biodiversity, community participation, biodiversity monitoring and action plans etc).

ECBP provides 50% of the financial contribution to the projects while the partners provide the other 50%. About 100 Chinese ministries, government departments, research institutions and NGOs as well as many international expert organizations and institutions have formed consortia to undertake the projects.