Regulation to protect national park

WUHAN -- Authorities in Central China's Hubei have passed a regulation to protect a national park in the province.

The regulation, effective from May 1, 2018, states that Shennongjia National Park will be divided into four major areas, including a "strictly protected area," which is for scientific research and off limits to visitors.

Construction, reconstruction and expansion of mineral and hydropower projects will be prohibited in the park. A fixed date must be set for similar existing projects in the area. Many prohibited activities are listed in the regulation, such as hunting and fishing.

It also specifies compensation for relocation.

Shennongjia was included on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2016. It covers 73,318 hectares, and is home to 3,767 species of vascular plant, more than 600 species of vertebrate, as well as 4,365 species of insect. About 1,300 golden monkeys live in the park, which are under top-level state protection.