Jiangjiadian Grassland

Jiangjiadian Grassland

Jiangjiadian Grassland is located in the southwestern part of Da’an City, covering an area of 1.35 million mu. It is one of only three natural sheepgrass grasslands in China, renowned for its high-quality, pollution-free forage. The grassland produces 150,000 tons of forage annually and exports nearly 30,000 tons of premium forage, highly favored by merchants from Japan and South Korea.

The boundless Jiangjiadian pasture boasts abundant resources and picturesque scenery. Birds fly freely, foxes and hares roam in groups, and various animals move about in packs. Twenty-seven kinds of precious wild medicinal plants, including licorice, astragalus, anemarrhena, Stellera chamaejasme, polygala, and notoginseng, are well-known both within and beyond the province.

In the height of summer, visitors flock to the grassland from all over. Lying on the ground with the sky as their blanket, they gaze at the endless blue sky and green grass, drifting white clouds, joyful sheep and neighing horses, and the setting sun flying with a lone duck. It’s a scene that sparks endless reverie—this is the most beautiful time of year in Jiangjiadian.

August is the season for hay cutting. Haymakers set up makeshift huts deep in the grassland, living in small groups of three or five. By September, large stacks of hay are neatly piled up, waiting to be processed and transported. The grassland employs a biological fencing method, with hundreds of thousands of tamarisk trees planted around the perimeter. Also known as red willow, the tamarisk’s deep green leaves turn red after frost in late autumn. From afar, clusters of them tremble in the wind like blazing flames—it’s truly “frost-kissed leaves redder than February flowers.”

The blue sky, white clouds, beautiful wind turbines, and lush green grass form a breathtaking scene. What used to be seen only in movies and TV can now also be witnessed on Jiangjiadian Grassland—over a hundred towering wind turbines have become a new landmark on the grassland, adding a fresh highlight to visits here.

In recent years, in order to improve the grassland’s ecological environment and following the principle of balanced development and protection, more than 20 million yuan has been invested in comprehensive treatment. With the improvement of the ecological environment, various wild animals have begun to increase, and the Jiangjiadian Grassland area has formed a favorable microclimate, with increasingly stable and pleasant weather. A poem describes it: “Vast grasslands, where alkali spots and sandstorms grow daily. Grazing bans and fences, decisions made to reclaim the wasteland. Planting grass by hand, suddenly see patches of wormwood and grey rabbits dart. Life returns anew, ecological balance lets all things thrive.”

Source: People's Government of Da’an City, Jilin Province