Discussion on Scope Demarcation Methods for the Proposed Songnen Plain Crane Homeland National Park

Scope demarcation is the basis for the establishment and management of national parks, which may be conducted with different methods in accordance with different protection and management objects. Based on the summary of experience in scope demarcation for national parks at the pilot stage, this research, through overlaying main protection objects on the specific realities of the eco-geographic area of grassland and wetland in Songnen Plain and the removal of relevant interference factors, attempts to figure out the scope of Songnen Plain Crane Homeland National Park, a national park proposed to be built in Songnen Plain. Specifically, based on the distribution characteristics of rare and endangered waterfowls and habitats thereof in this eco-geographic area and such considerations as management feasibility, this research firstly identifies the scope of priority protected areas in this proposed national park through overlaying rare and endangered waterfowls and habitats thereof on the original protected areas and, upon removal of human interference factors to demarcate the scope of the proposed national park. This scope demarcation method for national parks based on the overlaying of protection elements and removal of interference factors can be widely applicable to the scope demarcation of other national parks.