Kulbin Wetland Nature Reserve in the Lesser Khingan Mountains

Kulbin Wetland Nature Reserve in the Lesser Khingan Mountains

Wetlands are unique ecosystems on Earth with multiple functions. They are a special landscape formed by the interaction between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, representing the most biologically diverse ecosystems in nature and an important material foundation for human survival and development. They are also one of the most productive ecosystems.

The Heilongjiang Kulbin River Wetland Nature Reserve is located on the upper reaches of the Kulbin River at the northern foot of the Lesser Khingan Mountains in northeastern China. Its geographical coordinates are 48°27′50″~

48°43′28″ north latitude and 128°24′06″~

128°56′30″ east longitude. It borders the Youhao Forestry Bureau to the southwest, adjoins the newly approved Dazhanhe Wetland Nature Reserve to the northwest, connects to the newly approved Hongxing Wetland Reserve to the north, lies adjacent to the Hongxing Forestry Bureau to the east, and is bordered by the Wuying Forestry Bureau to the south. It stretches 39 kilometers from east to west and 29 kilometers from north to south, covering a total area of 66,964 hectares. The administrative region falls within Xunke County, Heilongjiang Province, and is under the jurisdiction of the Shangganling Forestry Bureau. Based on the diversity and representativeness of wetland types, species diversity, conservation value, and distribution characteristics, the reserve is divided into a core zone, buffer zone, and experimental zone. The core zone spans 43,911 hectares, the buffer zone 15,973 hectares, and the experimental zone 7,080 hectares. The Kulbin River Wetland Nature Reserve includes seven types of wetlands: riverine wetlands, lacustrine wetlands, moss marsh wetlands, marshy meadow wetlands, herbaceous marsh wetlands, shrub marsh wetlands, and forested marsh wetlands. The reserve hosts 614 plant species across 137 families, including 145 species of bryophytes across 47 families, accounting for 70.7% of all plants in the area. Nationally protected plant species are primarily woody plants, with six notable varieties: Chosenia arbutifolia, Juglans mandshurica, Phellodendron amurense, Pinus koraiensis, Fraxinus mandshurica, and Eleutherococcus senticosus. There are 39 fish species across 7 families, 9 amphibian species across 4 families, 9 reptile species across 4 families, and 210 bird species across 42 families. Among these, seven bird species are under first-class national protection, including the Siberian crane, red-crowned crane, scaly-sided merganser, oriental white stork, and mandarin duck. Thirty bird species are under second-class national protection. There are 44 mammal species across 15 families, with ten species under national protection, such as the sable, moose, and red deer.

As is well known, wetlands are unique natural ecosystems in the world, hailed as the "kidneys of the Earth," playing an irreplaceably vital role in climate regulation, water conservation, flood storage, and soil and water preservation.