Abstract:

Objective: This study aims to empirically test the causal effect and mechanism of national park pilot construction on biodiversity, and resolve theoretical disputes over whether the national park pilot can effectively promote, so as to provide a scientific basis for improving the spatial layout of national parks and the policy system for biodiversity conservation. Method: The bird observation data in China were used to construct bird richness indicators, based on panel data from 266 cities at the prefecture level and above (2011—2023). A difference-in-differences (DID) approach was applied to systematically to evaluate the impact of national park pilots on avian biodiversity. PSM-DID was used to alleviate the sample selection bias. Parallel trend tests, placebo tests, and exclusion of concurrent policies were used to verify robustness. Heterogeneity analysis was conducted on geographic location, endangerment level, and migratory habit. Mechanism analysis was conducted to identify three pathways: forest protection quality, government environmental governance, and public environmental awareness. An extended analysis with spatial econometric models was used to test spatial spillover effects. Result: 1) The impact of national park pilot construction on avian biodiversity was significantly positive at the 1% level. This result remained robust after PSM-DID, placebo tests, and exclusion of concurrent policies. 2) Heterogeneity analysis showed: in the impact of national park pilots on avian biodiversity, the positive effect was significantly stronger in central and western regions than in eastern regions; the improvement of non-endangered bird populations was greater than endangered ones; the improvement of resident bird communities was more than migratory ones. 3) Mechanism analysis indicated that national park pilot construction promoted biodiversity by increasing forest coverage and stand quality, strengthening local government environmental governance, and raising public environmental awareness. 4) Extended analysis found a significant positive spatial spillover effect, improving bird diversity in adjacent cities. Conclusion: The pilot construction of the national park system serves as an effective pathway for enhancing avian biodiversity conservation. In the phase of deepened advancement, efforts should be directed toward optimizing the spatial layout of the national park system, and establishing a long-term driving mechanism that integrates habitat protection, governmental governance, and public participation in a triadic synergy. At the regional strategic level, priority should be given to establishing new parks in the central and western regions, while formulating differentiated species-specific conservation plans for endangered species and migratory bird assemblages. Concurrently, it is imperative to break down administrative boundary barriers and build a cross-regional collaborative protection network of ecological corridors, so as to fully unleash the spatial spillover effects of the national park pilots and achieve systematic enhancement of conservation.

Key words: biodiversity, national parks, avian biodiversity, ecosystem