Abstract: [Objective] This study presents a review of the development history and management profiles of forest parks, in order to provide suggestions for the healthy and sustainable development of forest parks in China.[Method] A literature review and a qualitative analysis were conducted to explore basic information and management dynamics of the sector of forest parks in China. In addition, a quantitative analysis was carried out to describe spatial patterns of forest park development. Specifically, from the time dimension, development stages of forest parks were clarified and the characteristics of each stage were summarized, and an impact analysis was conducted on changes in socio-cultural factors and development guidelines at each stage. From the spatial dimension, a statistical analysis was conducted on tourism revenue, number of tourists, and social employment of forest parks in a total of 31 provinces in China.[Result] 1) China's forest parks have gone through four stages:the starting and experiment stage (1980-1990), rapid development stage (1991-2000), standard development stage (2001-2010), and upgrading stage (2011 till now). A three-level of national, provincial and municipal (county) forest parks management system was used in China, and main types of forest parks are usually classified by resource types, size of tourism area and forest ownerships. 2) The guidelines of sector management of forest parks have also evolved. At the beginning of reforming and opening up, forest parks was considered as one of the business projects of the state-owned forest farms. Then, the implementation of natural forest protection program since 1998 facilitated the function transformation of forest parks. During the "eleventh-five year" (2006-2010) period, national forest parks were defined as "national cultural and natural heritage" and "zone of national ban of development". 3) A preliminary sector management system for forest parks in China has been established, industrial development has been scaling up, and a new stage of public tourism has come, strengthening the protection of natural resources, promoting the development of forest tourism and dissemination of eco-culture, and driving the growth of regional economy. 4) Bottleneck problems of development were identified, including low legal status limiting effective management and protection of forest parks, irrational quantitative structure of forest parks due to imbalance among different places and slow development of forest parks at municipal(county) level, poor professional background of staffs, lack of tourism products such as recreational and healthy activities in forest parks leading to low efficiency of multiple uses of forest parks, and poor international reputation and social recognition of forest parks. [Conclusions] In summary, the development trend of forest parks from 1980 to 2014 was good. However, it varied among different provinces. The "five-combination" principles are suitable for development of forest parks in the new stage, including combination of the functions of forest parks with diversified socioeconomic needs, combination of forest park development with national development strategy, combination of strict protection with rational utilization of forest resources, combination of eco-forestry with people's livelihood, combination of valuable international experience in protected areas with national realistic conditions. Future work should be focused on establishing legal system and standards, resource inventory, investment channels, personnel training, international exchanges.

Key words: forest park, forest tourism, development history, management records