Forest Tenure as an Institutional Mechanism: Promoting Ecosystem Services via an LADM-Based Forest Cadastral System in China

Forest tenure functions as a critical institutional mechanism globally for curbing deforestation and degradation and advancing sustainable forest administration, ultimately underpinning the provision of vital ecosystem services. However, research on robust forest tenure system models both globally and within China remains underdeveloped, hindering their potential as an effective administration tool. The study addresses this gap by conceptualizing China’s forest tenure system through the lens of systems thinking and proposing a Forest Cadastral System based on the Land Administration Domain Model (LADM). We conduct a comprehensive review of the evolution of China’s forest tenure system and an in-depth analysis of the current “person–right–land” configuration. Subsequently, we construct an integrated forest cadastral model structured around three core LADM-compliant packages: party, administrative, and spatial unit. The model is then tested in Ningbo’s forested highlands: trials confirm its efficacy in reconciling tenure security with ecological governance. The findings offer valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners engaged in forest tenure reform and administration, while advancing the academic discourse on leveraging land administration systems for ecosystem service outcomes through robust institutional mechanisms.