Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Nature Reserves
Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Nature Reserves
Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Nature Reserves
Order of the State Council of the People's Republic of China [1994] No. 167
October 9, 1994
Chapter I General Provisions
Article 1 The Regulations are formulated with a view to strengthening the construction and management of nature reserves and to protect the natural environment and resources.
Article 2 For the purpose of the Regulations, nature reserves refer to such areas, on land, inland water bodies, or marine districts, which represent various types of natural ecological systems, or with a natural concentrated distribution of rare and endangered wild animal or plant species, or where natural traces or other protected objects being of special significance are situated, and so delimited out for special protection and administration according to relevant laws.
Article 3 Establishment and management of nature reserves within the territory of the People's Republic of China or the other sea areas under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China must comply with the Regulations.
Article 4 The state shall practice the economic and technological policies and measures favourable to the development of nature reserves, and incorporate the development planning of nature reserves into the national economic and social development plans.
Article 5 The local economic construction, the production activities and everyday life of local residents shall be properly considered when the nature reserves are established and managed.
Article 6 Nature reserves administrative agencies and their competent administrative departments may accept grants from both internal and external organizations and individuals for the establishment and management of nature reserves.
Article 7 The People's governments at or above the county level shall strengthen leadership for the work concerning nature reserves.
All units and individuals shall have the obligation to protect the natural environment and resources within nature reserves and have the right to report on or file charges against units or individuals who have destroyed or seized the nature reserves.
Article 8 The state shall practice a system which combines integrated management with separate departmental management for the management of nature reserves.
The competent department of environmental protection administration under the State Council is responsible for the integrated management of the nature reserves throughout the country.
The competent departments of forestry, agriculture, geology and mineral resources, water conservancy, and marine affairs and other departments concerned are responsible for relevant nature reserves under their jurisdiction.
The People's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government shall decide, according to the specific condition of the locality, on the establishment and the responsibilities of the administrative departments of nature reserves in the People's governments at or above the county level.
Article 9 The People's governments at various levels shall give awards to units or individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the establishment and management of nature reserves and the related scientific research.
Chapter II The Establishment of Nature Reserves
Article 10 In the areas which meet one of the following requirements, a nature reserve shall be established:
1. typical physiographic areas with representative natural ecosystems, and those similar areas where the natural ecosystems have been damaged to some extent, but can be restored through proper protection;
2. areas with a natural concentrated distribution of rare and endangered wild animal or plant species;
3. those areas which are of special protection value, such as marine and coastal areas, islands, wetland, internal water bodies, forests, grassland and deserts;
4. natural remains which are of scientific or cultural value,such as geological structures, famous karst caves, fossil distribution areas, glaciers, volcanoes, and hot springs;
5. other natural regions requiring special protection by the approval of the State Council or the People's governments of provinces, autonomous regions or municipalities directly under the central government.
Article 11 The nature reserves are divided into national nature reserves and local nature reserves.
National nature reserves are of typical significance in or out of the country, and have major international influence in science, or are of special value for scientific research.
Local nature reserves are those other than the national ones which are representative and significant for scientific research. Local nature reserves may be managed by local governments at separate levels. The specific measures shall be formulated by the competent department of nature reserves under the State Council or by the People's governments of provinces, autonomous regions or municipalities directly under the central government according to their specific conditions, and shall be submitted to the competent department of environmental protection administration under the State Council for the record.
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