Natural Resources Management in US National Parks: Principles, Problems, and Enlightenments

The natural resources of the national parks in the United States are mainly divided into eight categories: biological resources, fire resources, water resources, air resources, geological resources, soundscapes, lightscape, and chemicals and odors. The management procedures set by the National Park Service include: formulating natural resources management plans, preserving and publishing natural resources information, carrying out assessment on natural resources impact, establishing extensive cooperation, promoting the restoration of natural ecosystems, establishing natural resources damage compensation system, adopting different management principles and methods for different types of natural resources, and establishing and strictly implementing the execution procedure of “application-review-assessment-permission” for natural resources development and utilization. At present, there are such problems as insufficient coverage of natural resources types, misalignment of unified management and decentralized management, and serious shortage of financial investment. China’s national parks should clearly define the types of natural resources, gradually expand the pilot scope of natural resources asset management systems, establish and improve natural resources management systems, highlight ecosystem integrity, strengthen legal management and law enforcement, and strengthen the control of land and space use.