Cities with birdsong: the impact of forest city designation on bird biodiversity

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

Nature-based solutions such as forest cities are emerging as effective approaches for achieving symbiosis between humans and other species within urban environments. This article centers on China’s National Forest City Designation (NFCD) policy and develops a framework to investigate its impact on biodiversity. This article tests this framework with two key tools: a novel dataset of large-scale birdwatching data from China and a difference-in-differences approach. Research findings reveal that the NFCD policy has spurred a 5.6%−8.0% rise in bird biodiversity, and the regular inspection mechanism guarantees the sustainability of this impact. Increased forest area, improved forest quality, and enhanced forest protection are the primary association mechanisms. Further analysis indicates that NFCD provides greater protection for non-endangered birds, larger-bodied birds, forest-dwelling birds, and resident birds. The NFCD policy yields better results in urban areas as well as regions administered by officials who are younger, better educated, or possess relevant experience. These findings provide novel insights into how tournament-style policies impact urban landscapes and biodiversity.