Establishing an ecological monitoring system for national parks in China: A theoretical framework

Abstract

• A theoretical framework for ecological monitoring in national parks is designed. • The importance of balancing conservation and development objectives is emphasized. • A unified and park-specific monitoring indicator system is highlighted. • An implementation mechanism combining top-down with bottom-up approaches is proposed. The protected area system in China is entering a new stage where its management seeks to consolidate governance while balancing multiple management objectives. National parks, as the mainstay of this new system, have received considerable attention in order to maintain the authenticity and integrity of ecosystems and protect globally recognized biodiversity. Well-designed ecological monitoring and the information it yields is increasingly recognized as compulsory for the effective management of national parks. However, pilot national parks in China were established through the integration of different types of protected areas and, as a result, are confronting the difficulties of integrating and synthesizing disparate monitoring programs. In this research, we put forward a theoretical framework for establishing an integrated ecological monitoring system for national parks in China. The proposed framework highlights the importance of balancing ecological conservation and community development objectives and offers the trade-off analysis method to pair key ecosystem services to the dual management objectives. It also emphasizes a unified and park-specific monitoring indicator system that requires matching the indicators to key ecological processes and specific management objectives. Moreover, we propose an implementation mechanism with a combination of top-down and bottom-up approaches, and encourage local communities to participate in and have access to information generated through monitoring of national parks. We submit that this research described will not only provide scientific support for policy makers to establish an ecological monitoring system in national parks, but also contribute to more informed and efficient management of the expanding network of national parks in China.