A consolidation and optimization plan for the protected area systems in Zhejiang, Fujian, and Shandong has been approved in principle by the State Council. The approval requires relevant local governments and departments to implement the plan earnestly, with the National Forestry and Grassland Administration to announce the names, boundaries, and management zones of the consolidated national nature reserves and national scenic areas.
The approval was issued on June 12, 2026, in response to a joint request from the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, and the National Forestry and Grassland Administration. Implementation must be guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, adhering to ecological priority, legal compliance, and local conditions, and promoting the integration of ecological protection, green development, and improvement of people's livelihoods.
The State Council stressed that relevant departments and local governments must strictly enforce regulations on protected area construction and management, fulfill ecological and environmental protection responsibilities, strengthen supervision and law enforcement, ensure the implementation of all management measures, and continuously improve the management of national nature reserves and scenic areas. Major issues must be reported in a timely manner.