This is a list of the nationally designated
protected areas of
China. There are many forms of protected areas in China. Based on their relative importance, each type of protected area can be further graded into two to three levels (national, provincial and prefectural/county level). Nevertheless, the highest rank for "pocket nature preserve" (social and mass-based), "no-hunting area", "no-fishing area", "no-logging area", "wild medicinal material resources conservation area", "crop germplasm resources conservation area", "forest tree germplasm resources conservation area" or "source water protection area" is practically restricted to provincial level. The local government at county level is also responsible for the
delimitation and declaration of "basic farmland protection area" and "basic grassland".
Take note that many
protected areas in
China have multiple official designations, and the statutory boundaries of these multi-designated PAs may be identical or may vary one from the other. For instance, the boundaries of Huangshan NSHA coincide with those of the Huangshan NGP, whereas Fujian province's Wuyi Mountains NNR, NSHA and NFP are adjacent to each other. In Heilongjiang, 27,642.14 hectares out of 115,340.27 hectares of Huzhong NFP are intersected with the experiment zone of Huzhong NNR.
Lunan Shilin Scenic and Historic Area (officially designated name. “Lunan Yi Autonomous County” was renamed as “Shilin Yi Autonomous County” on October 8, 1998.)
Site of Large Earthquake-formed “Heavenly Pit” at Hongshi Cliff,
Yongsheng ("Heavenly Pit": a massive sinkhole. Designated name: “Yongsheng Hongshiya National Earthquake Site”.)
†: From May 23, 2009, onwards, the approval process for awarding the NGP qualifications and naming the NGPs are treated separately by the State Forestry and Grassland Administration. Each NGP-prequalified unit is required to complete a site development within the three-year time limit before gaining formal status as a NGP.
National Mining Parks of China (disbanded)
Number of NMPs (unit): 0 (87 before July 24, 2019)
Note: The former NMPs would either be incorporated into existing protected areas or redesignated as other categories of national-level nature parks. The work is still in progress.
Jiangshou Juyuanchi Park,
Xinjiang (Jiangshou Juyuanchi: Site of “Residential Water Garden attached to Jiangzhou Prefecture Office”, Sui dynasty, a provincially protected monument and site)
Number of NWPs (unit): 903 (incl. 555 formally designated sites [*], 7 upgraded sites in accordance with the revised provisions [**/ note 1] & 341 pilot sites; excl. 8 disqualified pilot sites [note 2], as at December 29, 2022)
Note 1: Sites promoted to national-level on the basis of existing provincial wetland park since the implementation of revised Wetlands Conservation and Management Provisions on January 1, 2018.
Note 2: One of the disqualified pilot sites is yet to be verified due to lack of supporting documentation.
Peng'an Jialing Diyisangzi Water Park (Jialing Diyisangzi: “Number One Hometown in the [river basin of] Jialing”, in memory of Sima Xiangru, a great prose poet of the Western Han dynasty)
ShengtianhuChinese Catfish and Huanghe Carp National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area [Silurus asotus]-[Cyprinus rubrofuscus var. Huanghe]
Qinhe Endemic Fishes National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area at
Yumenkou to
Sanmenxia Section of Middle
Yellow River (trans-provincial NAGRCA, shared with Henan and Shaanxi)
Baijianghe Endemic Fishes National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
Northern Lampreys National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area at
Jilin Section of
Songhua River [Petromyzontid lampreys genus Lethenteron, incl. Arctic and Far Eastern brook lampreys]
Heilongjiang Lijiadao
Topmouth Culter National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area [Culter alburnus
Heilongjiang Humawan Endemic Fishes National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
Hailanghe Endemic Fishes National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
SonghuajiangZhaodong Section National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
HeilongjiangTongjiang Section National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
SonghuajiangMulan Section National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
HeilongjiangXunke Section National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
Amur Sturgeon and
Kaluga National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area at
Fuyuan Section of
Heilong River [Acipenser schrenckii]-[Huso dauricus
Pacific Redfin and
Pacific Salmons National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area at
Dongning Section of
Suifen River [Tribolodon brandtii, incl. 3 migrating groups with gold, silver and black variations in skin color]-[Salmonid fishes genus Oncorhynchus, incl. chum, masu and humpback salmons]
Mangniuhe National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
ChangjiangJapanese Grenadier Anchovy National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area [Coilia nasus] (trans-provincial NAGRCA, shared with Jiangsu and Anhui)
Jiangjiasha Zhugensha
Korean Mud Snail and
Asiatic Hard Clam National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area [Bullacta exarata]-[Meretrix meretrix
GaoyouhuClearhead Icefish and
Lake Anchovy National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area [Protosalanx hyalocranius]-[Coilia nasus taihuensis
"
Four Major Domestic Carps" National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area at
Yangzhou Section of
Yangtze River [Cyprinids genera Mylopharyngodon, Ctenopharyngodon & Hypophthalmichthys, incl. black, grass, silver and bighead carps]
ChangjiangJapanese Grenadier Anchovy National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area (trans-provincial NAGRCA, shared with Shanghai and Anhui)
GehuCultrinae Fishes National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area [Cyprinids genera Culter & Chanodichthys, incl. topmouth culter, Mongolian redfin and "humpback"]
ChangjiangJapanese Grenadier Anchovy National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area (trans-provincial NAGRCA, shared with Shanghai and Jiangsu)
HuangpenheGobies and
Oriental River Prawn National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area [Gobiid fishes genus Rhinogobius, incl. Rhinogobius giurinus & Rhinogobius cliffordpopei
PenglaiBastard Halibut and
Marbled Flounder National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area [Paralichthys olivaceus]-[Pseudopleuronectes yokohamae
Jingziwan National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
Rushanwan National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
Qiansandao Waters National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area (Note that there is a dispute between the provinces of Shandong and Jiangsu over ownership of Qiansandao Islands)
National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area along
Shandong-
Henan Border Sector of
Yellow River (trans-provincial NAGRCA, shared with Henan)
National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area at
Yumenkou to
Sanmenxia Section of Middle
Yellow River (trans-provincial NAGRCA, shared with Shanxi and Shaanxi)
National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area along
Shandong-
Henan Border Sector of
Yellow River (trans-provincial NAGRCA, shared with Shandong)
Banqiaohu National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
YezhuhuCultrinae Fishes National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area [Cyprinids genera Culter & Chanodichthys, incl. topmouth culter, Mongolian redfin and "humpback"]
TiantanghuCultrinae Fishes National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area [Cyprinids genera Culter & Chanodichthys, incl. topmouth culter, "humpback" and Mongolian redfin]
Xiangjiang Wild Carp National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area at
Xiangtan Section of
River Xiangjiang [Cyprinus rubrofuscus var. Xiangjiang]
Sinipercinae and
Cultrinae Fishes National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area at
Xinhua Section of
River Zishui (major protected targets: big-eye mandarin fish and topmouth culter; other protected species: mandarin fish, Mongolian redfin, etc.)
Pagsumco Endemic Fishes National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
Nyang He Endemic Fishes National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
XizangBrown Trout National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area, Yadong [Salmo trutta fario] (note: introduced from Europe by British in the 19th century)
Baohe Endemic Fishes National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area at
Yumenkou to
Sanmenxia Section of Middle
Yellow River (trans-provincial NAGRCA, shared with Shanxi and Henan)
Juhe Shangyou National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
Danjiangyuan National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
Qianhe National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
Xushuihe National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
GanyuheQinling Lenok National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area [Brachymystax tsinlingensis
This is a list of the nationally designated
protected areas of
China. There are many forms of protected areas in China. Based on their relative importance, each type of protected area can be further graded into two to three levels (national, provincial and prefectural/county level). Nevertheless, the highest rank for "pocket nature preserve" (social and mass-based), "no-hunting area", "no-fishing area", "no-logging area", "wild medicinal material resources conservation area", "crop germplasm resources conservation area", "forest tree germplasm resources conservation area" or "source water protection area" is practically restricted to provincial level. The local government at county level is also responsible for the
delimitation and declaration of "basic farmland protection area" and "basic grassland".
Take note that many
protected areas in
China have multiple official designations, and the statutory boundaries of these multi-designated PAs may be identical or may vary one from the other. For instance, the boundaries of Huangshan NSHA coincide with those of the Huangshan NGP, whereas Fujian province's Wuyi Mountains NNR, NSHA and NFP are adjacent to each other. In Heilongjiang, 27,642.14 hectares out of 115,340.27 hectares of Huzhong NFP are intersected with the experiment zone of Huzhong NNR.
Lunan Shilin Scenic and Historic Area (officially designated name. “Lunan Yi Autonomous County” was renamed as “Shilin Yi Autonomous County” on October 8, 1998.)
Site of Large Earthquake-formed “Heavenly Pit” at Hongshi Cliff,
Yongsheng ("Heavenly Pit": a massive sinkhole. Designated name: “Yongsheng Hongshiya National Earthquake Site”.)
†: From May 23, 2009, onwards, the approval process for awarding the NGP qualifications and naming the NGPs are treated separately by the State Forestry and Grassland Administration. Each NGP-prequalified unit is required to complete a site development within the three-year time limit before gaining formal status as a NGP.
National Mining Parks of China (disbanded)
Number of NMPs (unit): 0 (87 before July 24, 2019)
Note: The former NMPs would either be incorporated into existing protected areas or redesignated as other categories of national-level nature parks. The work is still in progress.
Jiangshou Juyuanchi Park,
Xinjiang (Jiangshou Juyuanchi: Site of “Residential Water Garden attached to Jiangzhou Prefecture Office”, Sui dynasty, a provincially protected monument and site)
Number of NWPs (unit): 903 (incl. 555 formally designated sites [*], 7 upgraded sites in accordance with the revised provisions [**/ note 1] & 341 pilot sites; excl. 8 disqualified pilot sites [note 2], as at December 29, 2022)
Note 1: Sites promoted to national-level on the basis of existing provincial wetland park since the implementation of revised Wetlands Conservation and Management Provisions on January 1, 2018.
Note 2: One of the disqualified pilot sites is yet to be verified due to lack of supporting documentation.
Peng'an Jialing Diyisangzi Water Park (Jialing Diyisangzi: “Number One Hometown in the [river basin of] Jialing”, in memory of Sima Xiangru, a great prose poet of the Western Han dynasty)
ShengtianhuChinese Catfish and Huanghe Carp National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area [Silurus asotus]-[Cyprinus rubrofuscus var. Huanghe]
Qinhe Endemic Fishes National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area at
Yumenkou to
Sanmenxia Section of Middle
Yellow River (trans-provincial NAGRCA, shared with Henan and Shaanxi)
Baijianghe Endemic Fishes National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
Northern Lampreys National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area at
Jilin Section of
Songhua River [Petromyzontid lampreys genus Lethenteron, incl. Arctic and Far Eastern brook lampreys]
Heilongjiang Lijiadao
Topmouth Culter National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area [Culter alburnus
Heilongjiang Humawan Endemic Fishes National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
Hailanghe Endemic Fishes National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
SonghuajiangZhaodong Section National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
HeilongjiangTongjiang Section National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
SonghuajiangMulan Section National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
HeilongjiangXunke Section National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
Amur Sturgeon and
Kaluga National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area at
Fuyuan Section of
Heilong River [Acipenser schrenckii]-[Huso dauricus
Pacific Redfin and
Pacific Salmons National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area at
Dongning Section of
Suifen River [Tribolodon brandtii, incl. 3 migrating groups with gold, silver and black variations in skin color]-[Salmonid fishes genus Oncorhynchus, incl. chum, masu and humpback salmons]
Mangniuhe National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
ChangjiangJapanese Grenadier Anchovy National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area [Coilia nasus] (trans-provincial NAGRCA, shared with Jiangsu and Anhui)
Jiangjiasha Zhugensha
Korean Mud Snail and
Asiatic Hard Clam National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area [Bullacta exarata]-[Meretrix meretrix
GaoyouhuClearhead Icefish and
Lake Anchovy National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area [Protosalanx hyalocranius]-[Coilia nasus taihuensis
"
Four Major Domestic Carps" National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area at
Yangzhou Section of
Yangtze River [Cyprinids genera Mylopharyngodon, Ctenopharyngodon & Hypophthalmichthys, incl. black, grass, silver and bighead carps]
ChangjiangJapanese Grenadier Anchovy National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area (trans-provincial NAGRCA, shared with Shanghai and Anhui)
GehuCultrinae Fishes National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area [Cyprinids genera Culter & Chanodichthys, incl. topmouth culter, Mongolian redfin and "humpback"]
ChangjiangJapanese Grenadier Anchovy National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area (trans-provincial NAGRCA, shared with Shanghai and Jiangsu)
HuangpenheGobies and
Oriental River Prawn National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area [Gobiid fishes genus Rhinogobius, incl. Rhinogobius giurinus & Rhinogobius cliffordpopei
PenglaiBastard Halibut and
Marbled Flounder National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area [Paralichthys olivaceus]-[Pseudopleuronectes yokohamae
Jingziwan National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
Rushanwan National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
Qiansandao Waters National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area (Note that there is a dispute between the provinces of Shandong and Jiangsu over ownership of Qiansandao Islands)
National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area along
Shandong-
Henan Border Sector of
Yellow River (trans-provincial NAGRCA, shared with Henan)
National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area at
Yumenkou to
Sanmenxia Section of Middle
Yellow River (trans-provincial NAGRCA, shared with Shanxi and Shaanxi)
National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area along
Shandong-
Henan Border Sector of
Yellow River (trans-provincial NAGRCA, shared with Shandong)
Banqiaohu National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
YezhuhuCultrinae Fishes National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area [Cyprinids genera Culter & Chanodichthys, incl. topmouth culter, Mongolian redfin and "humpback"]
TiantanghuCultrinae Fishes National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area [Cyprinids genera Culter & Chanodichthys, incl. topmouth culter, "humpback" and Mongolian redfin]
Xiangjiang Wild Carp National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area at
Xiangtan Section of
River Xiangjiang [Cyprinus rubrofuscus var. Xiangjiang]
Sinipercinae and
Cultrinae Fishes National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area at
Xinhua Section of
River Zishui (major protected targets: big-eye mandarin fish and topmouth culter; other protected species: mandarin fish, Mongolian redfin, etc.)
Pagsumco Endemic Fishes National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
Nyang He Endemic Fishes National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
XizangBrown Trout National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area, Yadong [Salmo trutta fario] (note: introduced from Europe by British in the 19th century)
Baohe Endemic Fishes National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area at
Yumenkou to
Sanmenxia Section of Middle
Yellow River (trans-provincial NAGRCA, shared with Shanxi and Henan)
Juhe Shangyou National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
Danjiangyuan National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
Qianhe National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
Xushuihe National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area
GanyuheQinling Lenok National Aquatic Germplasm Resources Conservation Area [Brachymystax tsinlingensis