On the upper limit of the area of the strictly protected nature reserves in China

China established its first nature reserve in 1956. After a long period of stagnancy in 1960s and 1970s, the number of nature reserves in China started to boom in 1980s. China had established 1 551 nature reserves by the end of 2002, the total area of those reserves was 1 414 866 km~2, which covered 14.7% of the land territory of China. All nature reserves in China are strictly protected area as defined in the Nature Reserve Management Regulation of the People's Republic of China. After comparing the ratio of the strictly protected reserve to the land area in different countries worldwide, I discovered that the ratio of strictly protected areas in China had surpassed the highest level in the world since 2002. However,the number of nature reserves is still growing in China. Therefore, I suggested to distinguishing the strictly protected nature reserves from protected areas, establishing a protected areas system which is composed of protected areas of different protection purposes. I calculated the lower, median and upper budgets for basic construction and management of all the nature reserves in China in 2002, and found the budgets would account for 0.72%, 5.93%, and 9.26% of the national budget. I also preliminarily studied human population, landscapes type of nature reserves to discuss suitable portion of strictly protected area in forests, grasslands, wetlands, desserts in China. Finally, I suggested we should set up an upper limit for total area of nature reserves according to the national economic development level and further explore the question “How large a territory size can be strictly protected in China?”, based on the needs of preservation of species, biological resource, major ecosystems and sustainable development.