Damaguanghu National Wetland Park

Damaguanghu National Wetland Park

Damaguanghu National Wetland Park is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction and a national wetland park.

Jilin Damaguanghu National Wetland Park is located in Damashi Town, Dunhua City, Jilin Province. It lies at the northern foot of the Changbai Mountain Range, on the upper reaches of the Erdao River, a tributary of the Sha River, and is 13 kilometers from Damashi Town in Dunhua City. The geographical coordinates are between 128°32′–128°35′ east longitude and 43°09′–43°11′ north latitude, covering a total area of 2,291 hectares.

The various types of wetlands within Jilin Damaguanghu National Wetland Park are highly representative and typical of the mountainous regions in northeastern China. The “Damaguanghu” lake water within the park meets China’s Class III water quality standards and serves as an important water source for Damashi Town and the local forestry bureau. It plays a vital role in conserving water sources in the basin, regulating the upstream water distribution of the Erdao River, and maintaining water balance. This makes it a critical foundation for the ecological environment, agricultural production, and economic development of the region. The widespread wetlands in the Damaguanghu area are of great significance for water conservation, climate regulation, and ecological safeguarding. Since the mountainous regions of eastern Jilin, especially the areas around Dunhua City where the wetland park is situated, are among the most concentrated distribution zones of “peatlands” in northeastern China’s mountainous areas, the protection of peat swamp wetlands in this region holds significant importance and value for safeguarding China’s mountain peat resources.

The terrain within Damaguanghu National Wetland Park features overlapping mountains and connected ridges, with elevations ranging between 500 and 700 meters. The main types of wetlands include birch-larch shrub forest swamps, sedge swamps, reed and cattail swamps, and reservoir/lake waters (specifically, the Damaguanghu Reservoir, which is the drinking water source for Damashi Town). Wetlands cover an area of 1,380 hectares, accounting for 60.2% of the park's total area. The Damaguanghu National Wetland Park boasts abundant wildlife resources, including 248 species of wild plants from 140 genera and 60 families, among which five species are under national second-class protection: Korean pine, Manchurian ash, Amur cork tree, purple magnolia, and wild soybean. There are 241 species of wild animals, accounting for about 65% of the total wildlife species in the Changbai Mountain area. These include 2 orders and 6 species of fish, 2 classes, 6 orders, and 12 species of amphibians, 1 order, 2 families, and 11 species of reptiles, 14 orders, 35 families, and 176 species of birds, and 5 orders, 14 families, and 36 species of mammals. Among the terrestrial wild animals, 27 species are listed in the National Key Protected Wildlife List, including one national first-class protected animal—the Oriental white stork. There are 26 species under national second-class protection, including birds such as the mandarin duck, hazel grouse, as well as birds of prey in the Falconiformes and Strigiformes orders, such as kites, northern goshawks, rough-legged buzzards, hen harriers, red-footed falcons, and long-tailed wood partridges. Mammals include the black bear, Siberian weasel, and leopard cat. These nationally protected animal species are also listed in the appendices of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) as globally endangered species. Providing habitats for endangered wildlife, especially for rare waterfowl, holds significant international importance. Furthermore, the Damashi wetland is a typical natural complex of low mountainous forest, swamp, and water bodies in the Changbai Mountain area, making a specific contribution to the biodiversity conservation of the Changbai Mountains.

The Damaguanghu area features prominent natural ecological characteristics and regional landscapes, with diverse wetlands and biological resources that hold high aesthetic value and tremendous potential for tourism development. Damaguanghu National Wetland Park is situated along the central connecting line between the Liuding Mountain National Scenic Area in Dunhua City, the Changbai Mountain National AAAAA-level Scenic Area, and the Laobai Mountain Scenic Area of the Zhangguangcai Mountain Range. It is 140 kilometers from the renowned Changbai Mountain National AAAAA-level Scenic Area and less than 100 kilometers from the famous Jingpo Lake in Heilongjiang. Joint efforts in tourism project development and route integration can enrich the region’s tourism offerings, enhance the regional tourism brand, improve the regional tourism structure, and expand opportunities for ecotourism.

After several years of conservation and restorative construction, the ecological landscape of Damaguanghu National Wetland Park has been significantly improved, with a notable increase in the number of plant and animal species. The lake area features a seamless blend of water and sky, surrounded by lush forests and abundant aquatic plants, while tree-lined paths provide shaded walkways. It has become an important part of the tourism route from Dunhua City’s “Liuding Mountain,” leading southward to Changbai Mountain and northward to Jingpo Lake.

Source: Jilin Provincial Forestry Department

Damashi Town: (1) Natural Overview

Damashi Town is located 25 kilometers east of Dunhua City. It lies between 128°28′ and 128°32′ east longitude and 43°14′ and 43°18′ north latitude, covering a total jurisdictional area of 1,398.6 square kilometers. The town currently administers 3 subdistrict offices, 19 administrative villages, and 46 natural villages. Resident enterprises in the town include the Damashi Forestry Bureau, Yanbian Match Factory, a chicken farm, Taiping Forest Farm, the Second and Third Branches of the Ao Dong Group Deer Farm, and Qiankang Wood Industry, among other state- and municipal-level enterprises. The town has a total population of 61,173 and 17,264 households... More detailed information about Damashi Town++