Growing Demand and Uneven Supply: Eight Years of Nature Education in China

ABSTRACT This study examines the role of nature education in advancing conservation and sustainability in China between 2014 and 2023. Drawing on national survey reports and historical–comparative methods, it analyses the dynamics of public demand, institutional supply, and practitioner capacity. Findings reveal that public demand is strong, diversified, and rising, while supply remains fragile, regionally uneven, and constrained by financial instability and talent turnover. Applying public goods theory, the study identifies a structural supply–demand imbalance that limits the sector's contribution to conservation goals. To address this mismatch, four strategies are proposed: redistributing resources to underserved regions, tailoring curricula to diverse social groups, strengthening practitioner development, and establishing hybrid funding and governance mechanisms. Aligning supply more effectively with demand is critical not only for the sustainable development of nature education but also for enhancing its contribution to conservation governance in China.