Comparing the Histories of the Development of Wetlands Regulation Systems in China and the USA

The history of the wetland regulation systems in the USA is discussed in four phases since the 1700s: Reclamation (prior to 1900s), Waterfowl Protection (1900–1970s), Core Laws (1970–2000s), and New Challenges (2000s − 2025). We then compare that with the history of China’s wetland regulation: Reclamation (1949–1992) and Core Laws (1993–2025) and then present the conceptual Bamboo Node Effect model describing the general issues and challenges in developing a national wetlands regulation system. We provide an overview of the pitfalls and opportunities that occurred in the past in the USA and China for the benefit of development of better management and regulation of wetlands around the world.