Evaluation and Reference of Protected Area System in Germany

The protected area system in Germany has been historically formed step by step. This paper begins with the legal basis of protected area system in Germany and explains eleven kinds of protected areas in terms of definition, conservation situation and administrative management. Moreover, summarization and evaluation on protected areas in Germany demonstrate as follows: all the protected areas are managed in line with Bundesnaturschutzgesetz in overall planning and level-by-level administration; the interaction among different protected areas is quite common, aiming to guarantee more general connections; concern on integration between cultural and natural elements underlines the management of cultural landscapes; each kind of protected area tends to differ in functions so as to balance the conservation and utilization as well as development of sustainable tourism; the protected areas that have special local meanings are supported legally. Last but not least, based on the reference of protected area system in Germany, the construction of the protected area system in China is discussed, and it is suggested that: legally confirmed protected areas need to be integrated to the territorial space planning; protected areas including natural and cultural landscapes can work hand in hand with “Natural Parks”; the utilization and management of the protected areas should be carried out through general planning.