A memorandum of understanding was signed between the management bureau of Jiuzhaigou tourist site in southwest China’s Sichuan province and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) on Jan. 25, to renovate the world heritage site after last year’s major earthquake, China News reported.

Under the framework, the IUCN will organize scientific research on the geographical conditions, eco-systems renovation, and optimization of the area, and offer intellectual support and technological guidance to the renovation project.

The IUCN will also help improve the monitoring system in the scenic area, support the area to apply for the Green List of Protected Areas under the IUCN, and make specific management measures for the scenic area.

The Jiuzhaigou scenic area was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992. Last August, the area was jolted by a 7.0-magnitude earthquake. The country responded with a massive rescue and recovery effort.