To coordinate the relation between man and the nature and resource exploitation through ecological planning can be traced back to the works and practices of the ecological thinkers and regional planning pioneers at the end of the 19th century, such as George Marsh, Patrick Geodes and John Powell. Ecological planning theory and practice developed very quickly during the period before World War Two but disappeared in the literature for nearly 20 years until the environmental movement in the 1960's. With the occurrence of more and more serious environmental problems and resource degradation ecological planning began its new development era since the late 1960's. Particularly I. L. McHarg's and his colleagues' outstanding work and planning practice made the ecological planning thinking and methods gain widespread application. Recent trends of ecological planning research and practice develop towards applying the modern ecological knowledge and achievements directly and establishing the theory and methodology based on ecology, development economics and other related disciplines. They shift from quality analysis to quantity simulation with powerful computer and geographic information system,and from the single goal planning to urban and regional planning in order to promote sustainable development. It is obvious that ecological planning will become one of the important aspects in sustainable development.