This article lists the protecte areas (national level only) of the People's Republic of China. There are many forms of protected areas in China. Based on their relative importance, each type of protected area can be further graded into two to three levels (national, provincial and city/county level). Nevertheless, the highest rank for "pocket nature reserve" (social- and mass-based), "no-hunting area", "no-fishing area" "forest trees germplasm resources conservation area" or "source water protection area" is practically restricted to provincial level. The local government at county level is also responsible for the delimitation and declaration of "basic farmland protection area" and "basic grassland". Ministry of Agriculture has also set up a fishing prohibited area in the Yangtze Valley and imposed a closed season during the spring period. Qinling National Botanical Gardens, said to be the world's largest (458 km²), is still under construction. It is a comprehensive botanical garden combining both the on-site and off-site conservation methods.