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<p>China has expanded forest cover through the world’s largest afforestation initiative and the Natural Forest Protection Program (NFPP), yet national fragmentation trends remain uncertain because most assessments aggregate forest types. Here we map fragmentation dynamics of natural and planted forests across China (1990–2020) using composite structural and connectivity metrics. Planted forest fragmentation declined overall, whereas natural forest fragmentation increased across 60–64% of provinces and counties, with hotspots in southern tropical–subtropical regions. Expanding tree plantations became a major contributor to fragmentation, with 56% of gains occurring within the 1-km natural forest edge zone. Their effects were exacerbated by synergistic interactions with logging and cropland expansion. NFPP-implemented counties experienced significantly smaller increases in natural forest fragmentation, indicating a positive role of the NFPP. We identify 219,400 km² of conservation priority areas and recommend expanding NFPP in lowland southern China while strengthening nature reserves to safeguard intact temperate forests.</p>

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Tree plantation expansion undermines natural forest protection by increasing fragmentation in China

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月23日

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  • Wenqing Li,
  • Li Huang,
  • Hans J. De Boeck,
  • Zhiyao Tang,
  • Bin Wang,
  • Jin Li,
  • Chenling Zheng,
  • Yuan Huang,
  • Zhiming Zhang,
  • Jiahui Chen

摘要

China has expanded forest cover through the world’s largest afforestation initiative and the Natural Forest Protection Program (NFPP), yet national fragmentation trends remain uncertain because most assessments aggregate forest types. Here we map fragmentation dynamics of natural and planted forests across China (1990–2020) using composite structural and connectivity metrics. Planted forest fragmentation declined overall, whereas natural forest fragmentation increased across 60–64% of provinces and counties, with hotspots in southern tropical–subtropical regions. Expanding tree plantations became a major contributor to fragmentation, with 56% of gains occurring within the 1-km natural forest edge zone. Their effects were exacerbated by synergistic interactions with logging and cropland expansion. NFPP-implemented counties experienced significantly smaller increases in natural forest fragmentation, indicating a positive role of the NFPP. We identify 219,400 km² of conservation priority areas and recommend expanding NFPP in lowland southern China while strengthening nature reserves to safeguard intact temperate forests.