Effectively managed Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park by regulating Korean pine seed collection

“Effectively conserved and managed” is an important component of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Human activities continue to affect protected areas (PAs) worldwide, and reconciling biodiversity conservation with resource utilization represents a significant challenge for PA research. The Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park (TLNP) is a typical region of conflict between conservation restrictions and local livelihood. We employed Korean pine ( Pinus koraiensis ) seed collection activity in the TLNP as an illustrative example, utilizing maximum entropy model and spatial analysis to simulate suitable amur tiger ( Panthera tigris altaica ) habitat and human-tiger conflict risk areas during seed collection, to investigate approaches for enhancing the construction effects of PAs through delineating function zones. Results indicated that Korean pine contracting was ongoing in approximately one-third of core protected zones, reflecting high-intensity forest resource utilization. Suitable habitat for amur tiger covered 57.9 % of the park’s total area, and 23.7 % was affected by seed collection areas, which implied seed collection may alter tiger habitat use and exacerbate regional human-tiger conflict risks. Furthermore, we divided the Korean pine resource management function zones into four subzones, with differentiated management measures implemented. In addition, we proposed strategies for balancing conservation and development, including constructing collaborative governance systems, exploring pathways for ecological value transformation, and reinforcing the construction of early warning and monitoring systems. This study aims to provide a scientific foundation for underforest resource management in the TLNP and to serve as a reference for zoning planning of PAs in other regions. • The Maxent model and spatial analysis identified overlaps between suitable habitat and resource use in the TLNP. • Korean pine seed collection impacts forest resources and amur tiger habitat, exacerbating human-tiger conflicts. • Balancing conservation and resource use through a “two control zones and four function zones” refined zoning system. • Effective management by collaborative governance, ecological value realization, and conflict prevention system.