Program Overview

The National Park Construction and Management program is a newly established specialty at Northeast Forestry University (NEFU) as of 2023, designed to align with China’s major ecological civilization strategies and the goals of building a Beautiful China. It aims to cultivate innovative, leading talents capable of contributing to national park construction and management. The program traces back to 1987, when the Ministry of Forestry first approved the “Natural Reserve Resources Management” specialty in China. Since its inaugural undergraduate enrollment in 1988, the program has trained numerous professionals in the planning, construction, and management of natural protected areas. Many outstanding alumni now serve on the frontlines of national ecological conservation, “dressing the mountains and rivers in splendor, painting the land with vibrant hues.”

Training Objectives

The program aims to develop interdisciplinary composite leading talents who meet the practical demands of national park planning, construction, and management. Graduates will engage in theoretical research, technical development, ecological engineering design, ecological monitoring, and evaluation in natural resource asset management, biodiversity conservation, protected area monitoring and assessment, and harmonizing conservation with community development. They will also possess a global vision to participate in international ecological governance.

Distinctive Advantages

Feature1: The program leverages world-class forestry disciplines, boasts strong faculty expertise, and integrates undergraduate teaching with scientific research.

Feature 2: Collaboration across eight faculties, the design of an interdisciplinary curriculum, and modular courses establish a new hub for developing composite talents.

Feature 3: Intensive practical training with direct involvement in national park construction.

Core Curriculum

Core Foundational Courses: General Zoology, Botany, Animal Taxonomy, General Ecology, Conservation Biology, Urban and Rural Planning Principles, Conservation Education, Biostatistics, etc.

Core Professional Courses: National Park Management (Bilingual), National Park Planning and Design (Bilingual), National Park Biosecurity Management and Control (Bilingual), Smart National Parks (Bilingual), Protected Area Monitoring and Evaluation (Bilingual), and Wildlife Management.

Key Practical Teaching Components: Wildlife and Flora Comprehensive Field Training, Ecosystem Conservation and Restoration Comprehensive Field Training, National Park Planning and Design Field Training (including Surveying, Cartography, and Environmental Remote Sensing), and National Park Construction and Management Comprehensive Field Training.

Graduate Destinations

Expert Representative

Ouyang Zhiyun, a Foreign Academician at the National Academy of Sciences (USA), is a researcher at the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. He also holds the position of Co-Dean at the National Park Research Institute within the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.

Expert Perspective on the Program

National parks are the most critical type of protected areas globally, playing an irreplaceable role in conserving biodiversity and natural resources while sustaining the biosphere. Advancing China’s national park system is vital for promoting harmonious coexistence between humans and nature and building an ecological civilization. The key to high-quality national park development lies in cultivating talent. It is imperative to cultivate interdisciplinary professionals capable of conducting foundational scientific research for national park construction and management, monitoring national park resources, and formulating and implementing management measures and policies. This is the prerequisite for ensuring the high-quality development of national parks. Graduates specializing in national park construction and management will significantly contribute to China’s protected area system, ecological civilization, and socio-economic development.