Current status and recent trends in financing China's nature reserves

► We surveyed the financing of China's national nature reserves in 2009. ► Operational expenditure for China's national nature reserves was $5.19/ha in 2009. ► Total expenditures increased by 2.3 times since 1999 and reached $5.50/ha in 2009. ► Government investments in nature reserves increased by 1.4 times from 1994 to 2005. ► China ranked third among seven countries in this region in protected areas financing.