Suizhou Fengjiangkou National Wetland Park

Suizhou Fengjiangkou National Wetland Park

Suizhou Fengjiangkou National Wetland Park is a national-level wetland park.

Hubei’s Suizhou Fengjiangkou National Wetland Park was approved for construction by the State Forestry Administration on December 31, 2013. The park is located in the central part of Suizhou County, situated in the valley between the Tongbai Mountains and the Dahong Mountains. The planned area primarily encompasses the Fengjiangkou Reservoir, along with parts of the upstream river sections and some surrounding hills along the lakeshore. Its geographical coordinates are between 31°58′33″N to 32°07′01″N and 113°20′00″E to 113°25′52″E, covering a total area of 2,990.85 hectares, of which 2,636.54 hectares are wetlands. This includes 173.54 hectares of permanent rivers, 2,455 hectares of reservoir and pond wetlands, and 8 hectares of marsh wetlands. The Fengjiangkou Reservoir has a total storage capacity of 252 million cubic meters and controls a catchment area of 460 square kilometers, accounting for 34.3% of the Ju River basin. It is an important component of the eastern branch of the Ju River water system, located in the transitional climatic zone between north and south. The area is highly typical, unique, and rare, and also serves as an important part of the Yangtze River Basin Wetland Protection Network.

The Fengjiangkou Reservoir has a total storage capacity of 252 million cubic meters and controls a catchment area of 460 square kilometers, accounting for 34.3% of the Ju River basin. It is an important part of the eastern branch of the Ju River water system. The main types of wetlands in the region include reservoir and pond wetlands, permanent river wetlands, and marsh wetlands. Among these, reservoir and pond wetlands cover the largest area, mainly consisting of the wetland resources within the main body of the Fengjiangkou Reservoir. Next are the permanent river wetlands, primarily distributed along the downstream sections of the Sha River and the Tianhekou Reservoir. Marsh wetlands are mainly found in the numerous bays on both the eastern and western sides of the reservoir. The wetland coverage rate of the wetland park is 88.12%.

The diverse habitats and favorable water conditions have nurtured a rich variety of species. According to surveys, the wetland park’s vascular plants span five vegetation type groups: coniferous forests, broad-leaved forests, shrubs, grasslands, and shallow-water vegetation, including 11 vegetation types and 23 formations. The shallow-water vegetation types mainly consist of formations such as Salvinia natans, Trapa, Phragmites australis, Nelumbo nucifera, Typha, Ceratophyllum demersum, and Myriophyllum verticillatum.

The area is home to nationally protected plants, including the first-class protected Ginkgo biloba and Metasequoia glyptostroboides, and second-class protected plants such as wild lotus, Cinnamomum camphora, and wild soybean. Vertebrates in the region include species from five major groups: fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. As a stopover on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, the area boasts abundant birdlife. Among them, second-class nationally protected waterfowl include the Greater White-fronted Goose and the Mandarin Duck, with significant populations observed wintering here each year. Additionally, the wetland park is also home to rare second-class protected animals such as the Tiger Frog, Black-eared Kite, Northern Goshawk, and Common Kestrel.