How to set out the carbon reference level in forest management is one of the important issues in future climate change research. This paper summarized the definition of forest management in different files as well as the requirements of setting out the forest management reference level, and discussed the problems in formulating the forest management reference level by parties in Appendix I. Based on the difficulties that China will face in its setting out the forest management reference level as well as the current state of forest in China, it was proposed to include the research on 3 aspects in the setting out of reference level, i.e., changes in forest carbon storage through extension of rotation age, changes in carbon stored in woody forest products and forest carbon stock changes caused by force majeure (such as fire, diseases and pests, storm, etc.). Adding up the three storages will produce the forest management reference level.