Tieshan Provincial Nature Reserve

Tieshan Provincial Nature Reserve

The Tieshan Provincial Nature Reserve in Mishan City is situated in the northwest of Mishan, about 40 kilometers from the city center. It spans geographical coordinates from 131°25'37″E to 131°36'03″E longitude and 45°28'28″N to 45°37'24″N latitude. The total area of the reserve is 12,748 hectares, which includes a core zone of 5,494 hectares (43.1% of the total), a buffer zone of 1,196 hectares (9.4%), and an experimental zone of 6,058 hectares (47.5%). The primary conservation targets are rare flora and fauna such as sika deer, lynx, and Eleutherococcus senticosus, as well as forest and wetland ecosystems.

The Tieshan Nature Reserve was established as a county-level nature reserve in November 1993 with approval from the Mishan Municipal Government and was initially named the Tieshan Forest Farm Nature Reserve of Mishan City. In November 1996, following approval by the provincial environmental protection bureau and authorization via document Hei Zheng Han [1996] No. 86 issued by the provincial government, it was upgraded to a provincial-level nature reserve and renamed the Tieshan Provincial Nature Reserve of Mishan City. On September 4, 2006, the Jixi City Institutional Commission approved the establishment of the Tieshan Provincial Nature Reserve Administration Bureau of Mishan City through document Ji Bian [2006] No. 49. The bureau was designated as a deputy division-level public institution with internal departments including the Office (Security Section), Resource Protection Section, and Publicity and Education Section, and a staff quota of 20 people.

The reserve boasts abundant wildlife resources that exhibit high regional uniqueness and species rarity. Among the hundreds of species within the reserve, there are seven types of nationally protected wild plants under Class II, including Fraxinus mandshurica, Phellodendron amurense, Chosenia arbutifolia, Tilia amurensis, Glycine soja, Myriophyllum ussuriense, and Sparganium stoloniferum. There is one species of nationally protected animal under Class I (avian), and 39 species under Class II (including 34 birds and 5 mammals), accounting for 12.23% of the 327 vertebrate species in the reserve. Additionally, there are 186 species of terrestrial wild animals that are beneficial or have important economic and scientific research value. The sika deer (Cervus elaphus), belonging to the order Artiodactyla, family Cervidae, and genus Cervus, has been listed in both the National Key Protected Animals List (Class II) and the National Key Protected Wild Medicinal Materials Species List (Class II), and is categorized as Endangered (EN) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). These rare species are primarily distributed within the core zone, with a few also found in the buffer and experimental zones.

The Tieshan Nature Reserve is rich in natural resources and scenic beauty. Its diverse flora and fauna not only serve as valuable ecological tourism assets but also hold significant aesthetic and cultural value, making it an ideal location for eco-tourism, film and television production, photography, and painting. The reserve maintains a well-preserved natural ecosystem, suitable for scientific research, student internships from colleges and universities, and science education for primary and secondary school students. It can provide an excellent teaching and research base for scientific institutions and higher education establishments.

The Tieshan Nature Reserve was established in 1981 on the basis of reclaiming wasteland. The Tieshan Village Enterprise Company invested over 25 million yuan in infrastructure construction. They built one watchtower, four management and protection stations (sites), three tourism reception facilities covering 1,300 square meters, 52 kilometers of cement-hardened tourist roads, and 10 kilometers of patrol roads.

In terms of greening and landscaping, the reserve transplanted 1,000 mu of lotus flowers, greened 20 kilometers of tourist roads, and beautified 10,000 square meters of courtyards.

The 2009 capacity-building project of the provincial environmental protection bureau has been fully completed. This included an investment of 1 million yuan from the provincial government and a matching 1 million yuan from the Tieshan Enterprise Company, resulting in the construction of eight management and protection sites with a total floor area of 400 square meters, one new watchtower, and 20 kilometers of new management roads.

Through the implementation of the capacity-building projects and greening and landscaping initiatives, the region will benefit from a sound natural ecological environment. Sustainable utilization projects will be promoted, contributing to adjustments in the local industrial structure, creating job opportunities for residents, and thereby boosting the continuous development of agriculture and industry, fostering regional economic prosperity, and improving living standards. The execution of eco-tourism and diversified business projects can also generate considerable direct economic benefits for the reserve, enhancing its self-sustaining capacity and promoting the healthy and sustainable development of the nature conservation cause.