Abstract: In order to understand the impact of human activities on the environmental quality of the Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve, this paper analyzes the characteristics of land use change over the past 20 years, and outlines the influence of land use change on the nature reserve by using the development disturbance index. The main conclusions are as follows: over the past 20 years, the land use types of the Yellow River Delta Nature Reserve have changed significantly. The area of grasslands and farmlands in the Yellow River Delta Nature Reserve declined from 2000 to 2019, while the area of construction land has expanded at a faster pace. The change area accounts for 47.0% of the total area of the nature reserve. The reduced grasslands and farmlands are mainly transformed into salt fields and aquaculture ponds which mainly located in the experimental area. Since 2000, the development interference index of the Yellow River Delta Nature Reserve has been increasing year by year. From 2000 to 2005, the interference of human activities was relatively slight. From 2005 to 2015,the interference index of human activities increased rapidly. The development of salt field and aquaculture pond is the main influencing factor. After 2016, the development interference index has become stable. Overall the disturbance of human activities presents a process from mild to severe and then to stable.