The Department of Natural Resources of Jiangsu Province has released a guideline on the planning of ecological conservation and restoration at the county-level, the first of its kind in China.

China has been promoting a unified planning system for national territorial space, integrating the plans for main functional zones, land use, and urban and rural development. A key part of the campaign is to make planning for ecological conservation and restoration.

The county-level planning will accommodate with the “three control lines,” red lines for the adjustment of economic structure, planning of industrial development and advancement of urbanization, supplement the provincial and city-level efforts with more specific moves, and introduce binding requirements in areas under the county’s administration.

According to the guideline, it is necessary to consider fully the geographical patterns, natural resources, and ecological problems in demarcation of conservation zones, integrate restoration efforts on fronts such as mountain, river and forestry, and go beyond the county’s administrative borderlines in such moves.

The guideline also clarifies the means and methods for baseline survey of ecological conservation redline, standardizes the procedure, and includes relevant indicators. In addition, the guideline makes clear the planning’s organization and approval system.

The planning involves the land and sea areas under the administration of a county. It includes three stages – short-term planning for 2021-2025, medium planning for 2026-2030, and long-term planning for 2031-2035.

Contact us at english@jschina.com.cn