National parks are the core carriers for implementing the concept of “ecological protection first, public welfare for all”. This study used the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method to evaluate the ecological experience resource quality of the Laohegou area in Giant Panda National Park of China. Based on the standardized psychological assessment scale and the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, we have established an evaluation model for the psychological health benefits, quantifying the psychological health benefits of tourists in the ecological experience of national parks. At the same time, the relationship between the demographic characteristics, ecological experience characteristics, psychological health level, and psychological health benefits of visitors was analyzed. The ecological environment in Laohegou area is excellent (evaluated as “excellent” in multiple key indicators), with outstanding resource and value characteristics (evaluated as “good” in multiple indicators), and has the ability to provide high-quality public ecological experiences, which has significant benefits in promoting tourists’ mental health. The ecological experience within national parks could bring high psychological health benefits to visitors. The educational background, age, and income of visitors had a significant impact on the psychological health benefits of their ecological experience. Therefore, ecological experience products within national parks should be designed in layers based on age, income, and other factors, and spaces should be controlled at different levels.

Building human-nature harmonious communities is foundational to effective protected-area governance. Drawing on fifty years of global practice under UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme, this study distills four practice-oriented insights: establishing co-management committees to secure the institutional basis; developing ecological branding to add value to ecological products and raise household incomes; cultivating ecological flagships to enhance international reputation and attract investment; and safeguarding cultural diversity to strengthen residents’ sense of belonging and support for management. Case materials are integrated from 34 biosphere reserves in China and an observational indicator framework is constructed and a survey-based assessment is conducted for descriptive comparison and evidence synthesis. Results show that, alongside overall ecological improvement, most sites report positive movement in project investment, community participation, ecological branding, and household incomes, while ecological monitoring and research platforms require further strengthening. China’s MAB practice is further summarized as embedding the ecological civilization vision into management rules; specifying mandatory community-development targets in the nomination and decadal evaluation of biosphere reserve status; and coupling capacity-building with policy support to achieve co-benefits for conservation and livelihoods.

Countries and regions along the Belt and Road play a crucial role in global biodiversity conservation; however, their current conservation practices are comparatively weaker than those of other countries worldwide. In light of the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework at the UN biodiversity conference, as well as the new journey towards achieving the “3030” target for global biodiversity conservation, it is imperative to promote the establishment of a comprehensive network of natural protected areas along the Belt and Road. This initiative can help to effectively address gaps in nature conservation, enhance integrity and connectivity within important ecosystems in this region, safeguard ecological security not only along the Belt and Road but also globally, and contribute to realizing the “3030 target” for biodiversity conservation. This study focuses on highlighting the strategic significance of the Belt and Road region in global biodiversity conservation while aiming to scientifically construct an efficient network of natural protected areas in the region. By employing methods such as gap analysis, connectivity analysis based on Minimum Cumulative Resistance Model, literature review, deduction etc., we analyze various aspects including biodiversity status and challenges faced by countries along with progress made in constructing and managing natural protected areas, and also the progress and challenges of cooperation on biodiversity conservation. Drawing upon international experiences related to establishing networks of natural protected areas, we propose for natural protected area construction along the “Belt and Road”. Ultimately, this study provides scientific foundations as well as management references for promoting cooperation among countries situated in this region while facilitating construction efforts aimed at constructing an interconnected network of natural protected areas.

Biodiversity mainstreaming remains among the most persistent gaps in global environmental governance. China’s national park reforms provide a large-scale empirical test of mainstreaming in practice. By unifying fragmented protected areas, consolidating governance mandates, aligning cross-sector policies, and formalizing inclusive stewardship, the reforms have delivered measurable gains in flagship species recovery, ecosystem service resilience, and community participation. Yet its transformative potential is constrained by limited penetration into non-conservation sectors, uneven adaptive capacity, and incomplete social integration. We distill three transferable principles—coherence, consolidation, and co-production—and outline instruments to embed biodiversity imperatives beyond protected areas into infrastructure, agriculture, and regional planning. Achieving the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework will require moving beyond isolated conservation enclaves toward integrated policy ecologies that can durably reconcile biodiversity outcomes with equitable human well-being.

Protected areas have long been considered a cornerstone of biodiversity conservation by policy-makers and the conservation community. Yet, despite ongoing efforts, many countries, including China, continue to face persistent challenges in effectively managing these areas. Here we examine how science-management partnerships, particularly those headed by Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), have catalyzed governance reforms of protected areas in China. The integration of scientific research with policy action has enabled the establishment of a unified national park system, mitigating management inefficiencies and enhancing ecosystem resilience. We propose strategies for CAS to consolidate its leadership in this domain. These partnerships might offer global insights into evidence-based protected area management.