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Economic Impacts and Spatial Spillovers of the National Park Pilot Policy: Evidence from Yunnan, China

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: National parks are a key institutional tool for coordinating ecological conservation and sustainable development. This paper takes the pilot national park program in Yunnan Province, China, as a case study. Using panel data from 127 counties between 2001 and 2023, we empirically examine the economic impact of the national park pilot program using a Time-varying difference-in-differences (DID) approach and a Spatial Durbin Model (SDM). The study finds that (1) the pilot policy significantly increased per capita GDP in the counties by approximately 5057 RMB, with a 4- to 5-year lag effect and a long-term marginally increasing trend; (2) the policy drives economic growth through three main channels: increased fiscal transfers from higher levels of government, induced industrial upgrading, and the stimulation of fixed-asset investment; (3) the policy’s impact is more significant in areas with low economic levels, high altitudes, and high ecological quality; (4) national parks not only stimulate local economic growth but also promote coordinated development in surrounding regions through significant spatial spillover effects. This paper confirms the feasibility of transforming ecological advantages into economic advantages and provides empirical evidence for optimizing spatial governance in “Global South” countries.

Source: Land

DOI: 10.3390/land15020222

Authors: Yingying Pan, Guang Yang, Hui Wang, Wenhui Chen, Xiaoyan Wei, Junsong Zhou

Institutions: Yunnan University, Beijing Forestry University

Language: English

Topic: Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource Management

Subfield: Global and Planetary Change

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Decent work and economic growth, Life on land, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,137