China's Natural Heritage Sites Record Improved Sustainable Conservation

Beijing (ANTARA) - China is increasingly strengthening its scientific, systematic, and holistic protection of its world natural heritage, demonstrated by a significant improvement in conservation conditions, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration said on Saturday (13/6), coinciding with this year’s Cultural and Natural Heritage Day. According to an assessment by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), 90 percent of China’s heritage sites received an overall rating of very good or good, far above the global average of 61 percent and the Asian average of 68 percent. China currently has 15 world natural heritage sites and four sites renowned for both cultural and natural features, making the country a global leader in terms of quantity. These sites cover a total area of more than 80,000 square kilometres across 20 provincial-level regions, encompassing diverse ecosystems including mountains, forests, wetlands, deserts, and coastlines. In recent years, China has intensified its conservation efforts through a protected area system centred on national parks. According to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, more than 80 percent of heritage sites have undergone nature-based restoration, effectively preserving the authenticity and integrity of their ecosystems. At the same time, the country has also expanded channels to benefit its people while developing green industries, such as ecotourism, nature-based study tours, and the under-forest economy. Going forward, world natural heritage sites will be incorporated into the protected area monitoring framework and will benefit from coordinated protection and development efforts alongside these protected areas. The Chinese government will also establish and improve management systems and mechanisms for natural heritage protection, aimed at promoting standardised and high-quality management.