NPC initiates law to protect national parks

In advancing the construction of national parks, China aims to balance protection of the parks and their development, according to a draft law submitted for review.

The proposed Law on National Parks was presented during the 11th session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress on Tuesday, marking the first legislation at the national level for the parks.

During his presentation to the Standing Committee, Guan Zhiou, head of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, noted that China is constructing the world's largest national park system.

The country initiated a pilot program for the national park system in 2015, officially establishing the first batch of five national parks in 2021. In 2022, 49 potential sites for the parks were identified.

However, the parks have faced a series of challenges in terms of their development, and there is no specific national legislation covering them, Guan said.

"As a new and critical type of natural protected area, the legal status of national parks is unclear," he said.

"Issues such as the lack of a legal basis for planning, establishment, protection, management and supervision have emerged as urgent problems that need to be addressed to facilitate national park construction," he said.

The formulation of the law has been included in this year's legislative work plans for the Standing Committee of the NPC and the State Council.

The draft, comprising seven chapters and 62 articles, emphasizes that the national park projects should consist of China's ecologically representative natural systems, align with national interests and public welfare, and collectively aim to establish a government-led mechanism with multi-party and public participation.

It delineates the supervision and management responsibilities for relevant departments under the State Council, the national park management agency and local governments where national parks are situated.

Additionally, the draft mandates the scientific planning of the overall development layout of national parks and the rational determination of their number and scale. Authorities are required to create layout plans and identify potential sites based on the distribution of natural ecological resources and their protection needs.

The demarcation of national park boundaries should consider the integrity of natural ecosystems and the socioeconomic development strategies in the surrounding areas, the draft says.

It prohibits other types of natural protected areas within national parks, which are divided into core protection zones and general control zones.

Human activities are generally prohibited in the core protection zones, but are allowed with strict limitations in the general control zones.

National park management agencies must develop comprehensive plans for their jurisdictions and improve administration regulations, the draft says. Efforts will be made to strengthen the monitoring network in national parks to conduct timely assessments and issue ecological risk warnings.

Moreover, tailored protective measures will be implemented for various natural ecosystems and specific conservation targets within national park areas.

Priority will be given to damaged ecosystems undergoing natural recovery and important habitats. Regular patrols and emergency response mechanisms for disaster prevention, safety management and emergency support will also be established.

The draft also outlines measures to encourage residents and enterprises to provide products and services that align with the conservation goals of national parks near them.

Local residents will be given priority for ecological conservation jobs at national parks and encouraged to engage in commercial services in the surrounding areas.

Efforts will be made to encourage various stakeholders to participate in national park construction and protection, and promote the public services' functions of the parks.

Furthermore, the draft proposes the establishment of a diversified national park funding guarantee system primarily funded by the government, while also encouraging social capital to support national park construction. It also asks to improve the ecological protection compensation mechanism for national parks.