Conservation of plant diversity in China: achievements, prospects and concerns

China abounds with plant germplasm resources, and its conservation work, both in situ and ex situ, has advanced rapidly since 1978. We give a brief account of the development and management of nature reserves, natural parks, botanical gardens and crop genebanks in China. We also outline some of the losses of crop cultivars and continuing threats to the diversity of natural vegetation through the large-scale felling of forests and overgrazing of grasslands with ensuing erosion and desertification in some areas. The continual losses of plant germplasm resources and vegetation is cause for concern, and some effective measures have been taken by the government and people in recent years.