China’s diverse geography includes mountains, plains, and river systems. Its forests are a significant part of its ecological identity. These ecosystems have undergone a remarkable transformation in recent decades. This journey reflects a significant shift in environmental focus across the country.
The State of China’s Forest Cover
China experienced extensive deforestation during the 20th century, driven by population growth and industrial expansion. Forest cover plummeted to approximately 8.6% of the land area by 1949. Over centuries, nearly half of China’s expanded cultivated land resulted from forest clearing.
In recent decades, however, China has achieved a dramatic reversal through large-scale afforestation. By 2022, forest cover reached 23.83%, increasing to 24.02% by 2023. This represents an increase of over 10 percentage points since 1978, marking the fastest rate of forest coverage growth globally. Total forest area now spans approximately 208 million hectares.
China’s efforts have contributed significantly to global reforestation, accounting for a quarter of the world’s new forests over the past decade, with an increase of 22 million hectares. Much of this expansion involves planted forests, which constituted about 37.9% of the total forest area in 2013.
Major Forest Ecosystems
China’s expansive territory hosts a wide spectrum of forest ecosystems. These range from cold temperate coniferous forests in the north to tropical monsoon and rainforests in the south.
Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests are prevalent in the northern and northeastern regions, extending into areas around the Tibetan Plateau. These forests feature a blend of conifer species like Korean pine and spruce, alongside deciduous broadleaf trees such as ash, birch, and oak.
Moving southward, subtropical evergreen forests are a dominant feature, covering roughly 25% of China’s land area, particularly in the East Asian monsoon region. These forests thrive in warm, humid conditions with average annual precipitation ranging from 450 to 2125 mm. Prominent tree families here include Cyclobalanopsis, Castanopsis, and Lithocarpus. These regions often feature unique karst landscapes, where soluble bedrock has been eroded to form distinctive hills and caves.
Extensive bamboo forests are interspersed within many forest types, particularly in the mountainous regions of central and western China. These dense bamboo thickets often form the understory of moist conifer forests. They are especially prevalent in provinces like Sichuan, creating specialized habitats for numerous species.
Unique Flora and Fauna
China’s diverse forest ecosystems are home to an array of unique and iconic species. The Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), a symbol of conservation, is endemic to China, inhabiting fragmented bamboo forests primarily within the mountainous regions of Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu provinces. These bears reside at elevations between 1,300 and 3,600 meters, relying almost entirely on bamboo for their diet. Extensive conservation efforts have led to a positive shift in their status, with wild populations now considered vulnerable, estimated at around 1,864 individuals.
The Golden Snub-nosed Monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana) is found in the temperate, mountainous forests of central and Southwest China, including Sichuan, Gansu, Shaanxi, and Hubei. These largely arboreal monkeys live at elevations ranging from 1,500 to 3,400 meters, with their diet adapting seasonally to include lichens, leaves, bark, and seeds. Their striking golden fur allows them to blend into the autumn foliage, providing camouflage.
The Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens), a smaller mammal not closely related to the giant panda, also inhabits high-altitude temperate forests with bamboo understories in southwestern China, particularly in Sichuan, Yunnan, and Tibet. These russet-furred creatures prefer elevations between 2,000 and 4,300 meters, often found on steep slopes with dense bamboo near water sources. They spend much of their time in trees, utilizing their semi-retractable claws for climbing.
Among China’s unique flora are “living fossils” with ancient lineages. The Ginkgo biloba, a deciduous gymnosperm native to eastern China, was long believed extinct in the wild until small populations were discovered in Zhejiang province. These remarkable trees can live for over 1,000 years, connecting the present landscape to prehistoric times. Similarly, the Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides), a fast-growing deciduous conifer, was known only from fossil records until its rediscovery in 1944 in Lichuan county, Hubei. This species thrives in moist, slightly acidic soils, often found near ravines and stream banks, serving as a powerful symbol of conservation success.
Reforestation and Conservation Initiatives
China has implemented programs to expand its forest cover and protect its natural heritage. The Three-North Shelter Forest Program, often called the “Great Green Wall,” launched in 1978. This large-scale afforestation project aims to combat desertification and soil erosion across northern China. Covering over 4 million square kilometers, it creates extensive shelterbelts stretching approximately 4,828 kilometers long and up to 1,448 kilometers wide. It has helped reverse the expansion of the Gobi Desert and increase forest cover in targeted regions from 5.05% to 14.95%.
Another significant effort is the Grain for Green Program, initiated in 1999. This program focuses on converting erosion-prone farmland back to forest or grassland. It encourages farmers to retire cultivated land, especially on slopes exceeding 25 degrees, to prevent soil erosion and mitigate flooding. By 2010, approximately 15 million hectares of farmland and 17 million hectares of barren mountainous land had been converted. The program has yielded positive ecological benefits, including improved soil conservation and water retention, and contributed to increased household incomes.
Beyond these large-scale afforestation projects, China has also focused on establishing and expanding a national park system to safeguard its biodiversity and existing old-growth forests. The nation aims to create the world’s largest national park system by 2035, with 49 candidate areas identified, covering about 1.1 million square kilometers. The first five official national parks were unveiled in 2021, designated to protect flagship species such as the Giant Panda, Siberian tiger, and Asian elephant, and to preserve representative ecosystems. Complementing these parks, over 2,700 nature reserves have been established, collectively protecting an estimated 90% of land ecosystems, 85% of wild animal populations, and 65% of higher plant communities.