Nangwenghe National Nature Reserve

Nangwenghe National Nature Reserve

Nangwenghe National Nature Reserve is a national-level nature reserve.

Nangwenghe National Nature Reserve is the largest forested wetland nature reserve in Northeast China. It preserves a complete pristine forest-wetland ecosystem, featuring landscapes such as virgin forests, marshes, meadows, lakes, streams, rivers, and snow and ice.

The reserve has a dense network of rivers, crisscrossing ravines, and scattered lakes, and is the main source of the Nenjiang River. Over twenty rivers—including the Ergen River, Nanyang River, and Kandu River—converge into the Nangwenghe, forming the Nenjiang.

The Qinglin Wetland Observation Tower was built in 2002 and stands 24 meters tall. It is renowned for offering simultaneous views of various types of wetlands, including river wetlands, oxbow lake wetlands, marsh wetlands, and island forest wetlands. Climbing to the top of the tower and looking down, you can see the beautiful Nangwenghe River winding gently and mirror-flat, encircling clusters of green islands that stretch into the distance. Gazing into the distance, the undulating mountains are shrouded in thin clouds and mist, appearing and disappearing like an affectionate maiden or a long-time friend looking across at you from afar. Though silent, they give you confidence and let you pour out your heart. In a flash, your thoughts become pure, your mood uplifted, and you forget all worldly concerns. Truly, a myriad of scenes unfold before your eyes, endless vistas spark the imagination, and the marvels of nature inspire heartfelt awe for the wonders of creation.

The Island Forest Observation Tower was completed in 2008 and stands 30 meters high. It primarily monitors dominant tree and shrub species such as Dahurian larch, birch, and wild rose, focusing on meteorological gradients and energy balance.

The wildlife species distributed within the reserve account for over 90% of those found in the Greater Khingan Mountains. Mammals mainly include 49 species such as sables, brown bears, and moose, of which 9 are Class I nationally protected animals. Birds mainly include 216 species such as oriental white storks and red-crowned cranes, with 7 being Class I nationally protected bird species. There are also 44 species of amphibians, reptiles, and fish such as Siberian salamanders and taimen. The biodiversity is extremely rich, essentially covering all terrestrial, wetland, and aquatic biological groups in the cold temperate virgin forest region of the Greater Khingan Mountains.

The plant resources within the reserve are abundant, with approximately 1,000 species currently identified, including over 400 medicinal plants. Among the 61 families and 42 species of plant resources discovered, those listed as nationally key protected plants include Scots pine, Dahurian alder, Amur cork tree, Cistanche deserticola, astragalus, and schisandra. Rare orchid species include purple-spotted peony orchid, large-flowered peony orchid, small spotted ladyslipper, Gymnadenia conopsea, bird’s nest orchid, and Spiranthes sinensis. It is currently the largest, highest-latitude, most pristine, most valuable, and most typical inland wetland and water ecosystem-type nature reserve preserved in the cold temperate coniferous forest region of northern China.

The Wetland Boardwalk was built in 2009 and is 2.7 kilometers long with a width of 1 meter. Along the wetland boardwalk, you can not only enjoy the beautiful wetland scenery but also see the unique island forest landscape within the Nangwenghe Reserve. As you enter the boardwalk, the first thing you see is a meteorological observation station. This station was jointly built in 2005 by the Nangwenghe National Nature Reserve and the Daxing’anling Regional Meteorological Bureau. It is mainly used to monitor meteorological changes in the reserve at any time. The meteorological monitoring data reveals climate variations across different time periods and years within the reserve, and these data are highly important for meteorological research in the area.

The reserve’s bird observation station was built in 2009. In spring and summer, various resident and migratory birds enter their breeding seasons, presenting breathtaking scenes of swallows dancing, orioles singing, falcons soaring, and crows flying—truly a poetic spectacle. In autumn and winter, flocks of gulls and geese, southbound migratory birds, cranes and ducks, and gatherings of millions of sparrows make the Nangwenghe National Nature Reserve a true paradise for birds.

Transportation Guide

Scenic Area Address: Eastern Forest Region of Daxing’anling, Jiagedaqi District, Daxing’anling Prefecture, Heilongjiang Province

Transport Routes: You can take a bus to Jiagedaqi and then transfer to a shuttle bus or taxi to the reserve.