Five years after China established its first five national parks, a new book series is bringing their natural wonders into sharper focus, taking readers on a journey through the country's rich biodiversity, striking landscapes and ecological heritage.
The National Parks Wonderland Journey series was launched Sunday at the National Zoological Museum of China in Beijing, a day before the fifth anniversary of the parks' official establishment on Oct, 12, 2021.
The five parks, Three-River-Source National Park, Giant Panda, Northeast China Tiger and Leopard, Hainan Tropical Rainforest and Wuyishan, protect some of the country's most important ecosystems, distinctive landscapes, valuable natural heritage and rich biodiversity. Their establishment marked a milestone in China's efforts to build a protected-area system centered on national parks.
Yang Bo, general manager of China Forestry Publishing House, said that many people still know the names of national parks but not what they truly represent. He added that a bridge is needed, a bond that brings the knowledge and stories of these parks to the public.
The new series seeks to fill that gap. Comprising five volumes, each dedicated to one of the parks, the collection draws on field exploration to bring together accounts of wildlife, ecological insights and cultural history.
The series features more than 1,000 photographs taken in the field, covers about 400 species and includes more than 80 "knowledge links." More than 30 contributors took part in the project. After the manuscripts were completed, experts were invited to conduct multiple rounds of scientific review, with the aim of making the material accessible without compromising accuracy.
Sun Xin, chief science popularization expert at the National Zoological Museum of China, said the museum had worked alongside national park development over the past five years. Its experts have contributed to related publications, developed museum exhibitions and participated in scientific expeditions. The museum has also continued to organize study tours and scientific trips to protected natural areas in China and abroad, helping the public experience the natural world through the lens of research.
Sun described the series as a "paper museum" that uses words and images to bring national parks' landscapes and natural wonders to readers. He also called on the public to embrace in-depth reading as an alternative to the passive, fragmented consumption of information often associated with short videos.
