Abstract:

With the inclusion of the desert as part of ‘a life community of mountains,rivers,fields,grass,lakes,grasslands and desert’,National Desert Park has become one of the most prominent areas in the protected area system.The development process of China’s National Desert Park can be divided into three stages:pilot exploration stage,rapid development stage,and high-quality development stage.The current development status of China’s National Desert Park is discussed,and it summarizes the construction achievements in protecting desert ecosystems,strengthening the protected area system,consolidating the achievements of sand prevention and control,promoting local economic development,and raising social participation and public awareness of ecological protection.The challenges faced in the construction and management of National Desert Park are discussed,and countermeasures are proposed in four areas:establishing a sound governance system,optimizing spatial layout,establishing desert park characteristic brands,and enhancing scientific and technological investment.

Key words: National Desert Park, protected area, development process, ecological protection, economic development