Thematic Evolution and Governance Structure of China’s Forest Resource Policy Planning: A Text Mining Analysis from a Multi-Level Governance Perspective

Amidst the escalating global challenges of deforestation and climate change, effective forest governance has become a critical global imperative. As a key actor in this arena, China presents a crucial case for understanding state-led environmental governance. This study addresses the thematic evolution and governance structure of China’s forest policy planning from 1980 to 2024. Grounded in multi-level governance (MLG) theory, we apply the Non-negative Matrix Factorization (NMF) topic model to a corpus of 1265 policy documents sourced from the PKULaw database, spanning four administrative levels from central to county. An analysis of 13 core policy themes reveals a significant transition, shifting from early regulatory development and resource utilization to a modern emphasis on ecological protection, scientific monitoring, financial support, and governance innovation. The findings delineate a complex governance architecture: a vertical division of labor (central guidance, local implementation), a horizontal model of inter-departmental interaction where specialized management coexists with comprehensive coordination, and adaptive governance reflecting regional heterogeneity. These results illuminate the dynamic evolution of power allocation, central–local relations, and synergy within China’s forest sector. This study not only provides new empirical evidence and an analytical framework for understanding China’s natural resource policy transition but also offers scientific insights for optimizing multi-level forest governance systems and enhancing policy synergy and efficacy.