Realizaing the value of ecological products of national parks: comparative insights and implications for China

Since 2013, the construction of national parks in China has been steadily promoted. However, focusing on how to effectively realize the value of their rich ecological products remains a significant challenge. At present, there are many successful cases of realizing the value of ecological products in China and abroad. However, their classification still needs to be further clarified. The realization paths for the characteristics of national parks have yet to be researched. To this end, this paper first combed the typical paths of realizing the value of ecological products at home and abroad. It classified them into three modes—public payment, market-oriented transaction, and direct payment—based on the degree of government intervention and the number of transaction subjects containing ten types of specific realization means. Based on this classification, the successful practices of the ecological product value in national parks at home and abroad are summarised. This summary includes realization modes unique to national parks. The study finds that public and direct payment are the mainstream modes of realizing the value of ecological products in national parks at home and abroad. Portal towns and the establishment of public welfare posts are the unique means of realizing the value of ecological products in national parks, and their unique characteristics come from the socio-economic attributes of national parks. Finally, combining research results and practical experiences from both domestic and international sources, the study offers scientific suggestions for enhancing the value of ecological products in China′s national parks, thus contributing to sustainable ecological civilization.