Changes in land use can cause significant changes in the ecosystem structure and process variation of ecosystem services. This study presents a detailed spatial, quantitative assessment of the variation in the value of ecosystem services based on land use change in national nature reserves of the Ningxia autonomous region in China. We used areas of land use types calculated from the remote sensing data and the adjusted value coefficients to assess the value of ecosystem services for the years 2000, 2005, and 2010, analyzing the fluctuations in the valuation of ecosystem services in response to land use change. With increases in the areas of forest land and water bodies, the value of ecosystem services increased from 182.3×10⁷ to 223.8×10⁷ US$ during 2000–2010. Grassland and forest land accounted for 90% of this increase. The values of all ecosystem services increased during this period, especially the value of ecosystem services for biodiversity protection and soil formation and protection. Ecological restoration in the reserves had a positive effect on the value of ecosystem services during 2000–2010.

Policies directly affect land-use change, which in turn, affects ecosystem services. In parallel with the implementation of a full-scale development program for the western region, the Chinese government has introduced a series of ecological protection and restoration strategies for development and construction. This study conducted a quantitative spatial evaluation of the ecosystem service value (ESV) of national nature reserves in the western region under this dual policy of development and protection. On the basis of land-use data and related evaluation parameters, fluctuations in the valuation of ecosystem services during 2000–2010 were analyzed in response to land-use changes under the comprehensive policy. Results showed that the increases in the areas of forestland and water bodies led to an increase of CNY 74.1 billion in the ESV from 2000 to 2010, equivalent to 2.02%. Grassland with increased production capacity and water bodies were the main factors driving the total ESV dynamics. Values of all ES increased significantly. Therefore, the ecological conservation and restoration policy, along with the development policy, had a positive influence on ecosystem services in the nature reserves in western China.

With the overall trends of deterioration in resources and ecological environments not being completely reversed, the Chinese government has adopted the strategy of establishing the Ecological Conservation Redline (ECR). The ECR aims to define limits to the encroachment onto protected ecologically vulnerable and sensitive areas, to prohibit development in these areas, and to enforce strict protection to guarantee regional ecological security. Climate data, remote sensing data, and other related data were used to identify an ECR in Heze, thereby providing an example of principle and methodology for ECR delimitation. After assessment, comprehensive treatment, and coordination analysis, a total area of 924.17 km², accounting for 7.55% of the city’s total area, was identified as an ECR in Heze. This mainly comprised the area around the Yellow River, the old course of the Yellow River, and the Dongyu River.