Special Issue on National Park Development in a Changing World

National parks are integral to preserving our natural heritage for generations to come, protecting biodiversity, water, natural landscapes, culture and history. However, national parks are now facing many challenges due to a changing climate, increased visitation, illegal activities, pollution and urbanisation.

For decades, studies have highlighted the connection between national parks and human wellness.

The recent global pandemic has enhanced this bond, with populations worldwide depending on national parks to address the physical and mental impacts of COVID-19.  The pandemic has also resulted in temporary access restrictions to parks and protected areas in order to mitigate disease transmission. These trends have important consequences for park management, including a reduction in park resources and staff, the suspension of management and restoration programmes and an elevated public appreciation for parks. As parks reopen, it is important for relevant decision-makers to anticipate the short- and long-term impacts of COVID-19. While the global pandemic has presented protected areas with many new challenges, it has also provided us with opportunities to strengthen management strategies.

For this special issue, we encourage studies from all fields looking at topics such as national park management policies, strategy development, traditional knowledge, cross-jurisdictional cooperation, information sharing, advanced data collection and advanced analysis methods. Furthermore, we invite studies that consider both ecological and socio-economic concerns.

Topics Covered:

• Parks and human health
• Adaptive management
• Climate change impacts
• Spatial analysis and planning
• Use of artificial intelligence
• Social-ecological systems analysis
• Traditional ecological knowledge
• Ecological integrity
• Payments for ecosystem services
• Changes in land use and land cover

Important Deadlines:

• Submission deadline: 1 December 2021

Submission Instructions:

Please read the Guide for Authors before submitting. All articles should be submitted online; please select Special Issue: National Park Development in a Changing World on submission.

All queries should be emailed to: geoheritage@126.com

Guest Editor:

• Prof. Guangyu Wang, University of British Columbia, Canada. Email: guangyu.wang@ubc.ca