Chazi Provincial Nature Reserve

Chazi Provincial Nature Reserve

Heilongjiang Ganchazi Provincial Nature Reserve was established in 2011 as an inland wetland and water-body type nature reserve, primarily focused on the conservation of inland wetland and water-body ecosystems and rare wildlife species. The reserve is situated in Xunke County, Heilongjiang Province, at the northern foot of the Lesser Khingan Mountains. It borders the Xunke County Nursery to the east, the Xunbiela River to the south, Sunwu County to the west, and the Heilong River (Amur River) that forms the border with Russia to the north. Its geographical coordinates are: 49°24′54″N to 49°35′03″N, 127°48′34″E to 128°18′59″E, covering a total area of 26,615 hectares. This includes a core zone of 9,465 hectares (35.56% of the total area), a buffer zone of 7,894 hectares (29.66%), and an experimental zone of 9,256 hectares (34.78%).

The reserve features five vegetation types, five subtypes, twelve formation groups, twenty formations, and thirty-two associations or community groups. It is home to 658 species of higher plants, including 59 species of bryophytes (19 families, 34 genera), 24 species of ferns (10 families, 13 genera), and 575 species of seed plants (80 families, 274 genera). Among these are five nationally protected Class II plant species: wild soybean, Phellodendron amurense, Salix arbutifolia, Fraxinus mandshurica, and Tilia amurensis. The area also hosts 308 species of vertebrates, comprising 58 fish species, 7 amphibian species, 9 reptile species, 191 bird species, and 43 mammal species. Notably, it provides habitat for five Class I protected animal species: Oriental stork, white-naped crane, golden eagle, red-crowned crane, and sable, as well as 33 Class II protected species such as brown bear, lynx, moose, mandarin duck, and hazel grouse.

The reserve faces the Amur Oblast Nature Reserve of Russia across the river and serves as a vital habitat for rare birds such as the white-naped crane and Oriental stork, as well as a key migration corridor for large mammals like moose and brown bears. With its intact ecosystem types, strategically important geographical location, unique landscapes, and rich diversity of rare species, the reserve functions as a comprehensive protected area dedicated to biodiversity conservation, scientific research, ecotourism, and sustainable utilization. It also plays a significant role as a critical node in cross-border nature reserve development between China and Russia, holding extremely high conservation value.