Beigu Mountain Ecological Park

Beigu Mountain Ecological Park

Beigu Mountain Ecological Park is a national AA-level tourist attraction.

The Lianyungang Beigu Mountain Provincial Forest Park has a planned total area of 453.33 hectares, with geographical coordinates between 119°20'20"–119°22'39" east longitude and 34°46'20"–34°45'57" north latitude. It is situated within State-owned Forest Plots 1 and 2 of Haibin Park under the Forestry Bureau of Lianyun District, including Subplots 1–32, covering an area of 453.33 hectares. It extends east to Haitang Road, west to Xishu, south to Dagang Road, and reaches into the sea in the north.

The forest park belongs to the Yuntai Mountain range, an eastern extension of the Shandong Yishan Mountain system.

The forest park is located in Lianyun District, Lianyungang City. In terms of geological structure, it largely consists of an ancient mountain mass formed by the Precambrian metamorphic rock series, with the stratum primarily composed of two major parts: the uplifted ancient Precambrian formations in the central region and the Quaternary strata distributed in low-lying basins or valleys, as well as on some slopes. The local strata mainly consist of the upper segment of the Precambrian strata—including mixed rocks such as muscovite-plagioclase gneiss and biotite gneiss—and the middle segment of the Quaternary strata—mainly loess-like silt with minor gravel lenses, formed after the Quaternary glacial period. The terrain features numerous small hills, not very high in elevation, with strong geological rhythmicity, weak lithification, and soil primarily composed of mixed rock, gravel, and clay.

The Lianyungang urban area can be divided into three major engineering geological zones: Zone I, structurally denuded and eroded mountains; Zone II, the Sanqian uplift platform; and Zone III, the marine sedimentary plain. The project site belongs to Zone III, the marine sedimentary plain. According to the site investigation data within the exploration depth, no fault structures have been found, indicating good regional stability.

This region is located on the eastern extension of the Wudang-Dabie uplift zone within the primary tectonic unit of the Qinling orogenic belt—the Sujiao uplift. Regional structural lines mostly trend northeast to east-northeast. The metamorphic rock foliation in this area ranges from 75° to 85°, with dips between 165° and 175° and inclinations of 40° to 85°. Folds and ductile shear zones are well-developed, with obvious multi-phase superimposition and a variety of planar and linear structures, making it a complex tectonic deformation zone. The site lies at the uplifted end of the northwest-wing axial part of the Lianyungang-Fushan overturned syncline, with the tectonic pattern mainly characterized by a monocline dipping southeast.

The soil types within the forest park area can be divided into three main categories—brown soil, sandy ginger soil, and saline soil—comprising six subcategories, seven groups, and 15 types. Brown soil is further divided into coarse-grained brown soil, acidic brown soil, and moist brown soil, among which coarse-grained brown soil (such as su shi ling sandy soil), acidic brown soil (such as mountainous brown soil), and moist brown soil (such as hardpan soil) are more widely distributed, showing a trend of spreading from the mountains downward. Sandy ginger soil belongs to the salinized sandy ginger black soil subcategory of sandy ginger black soil, under the salt-black soil group, with a soil type of covered gray clay.

Beigu Mountain boasts picturesque natural scenery, stable regional geological conditions, diverse mountain forms, uniquely shaped rocks, and varied pine and cypress trees, creating a distinctive landscape of mountains, rocks, and pines. The bedrock coastline winds from the north side of the forest park to the east, with waves crashing against the shore, producing rhythmic sounds of surf. The majestic mountain scenery, beautiful plant landscapes, and stunning coastal views blend seamlessly into a natural masterpiece, enriching the park’s tourism resources and providing a solid foundation for its development.

The area has a warm temperate humid monsoon maritime climate, featuring characteristics of both the warm temperate and northern subtropical zones. The four seasons are distinct, with mild winters and cool summers, a pleasant and moderate climate.

The annual average temperature is 14°C, with the lowest in January at an average of 1.1°C and the highest in August at 26.8°C. There are over 223 days per year with an average daily temperature not falling below 10°C. The annual average precipitation is 882.6 mm, and the frost-free period averages 215 days. Historical average annual sunshine ranges between 2,300 and 2,400 hours. The historical annual average relative humidity is around 68%. The average annual precipitation over the years is 875.1 mm.

There are five streams within the forest park, with a total length of 6.6 km. These streams are short in length with steep gradients, some dropping over 300 meters within just 5 km. Seasonal flow is particularly pronounced, with surface runoff entirely dependent on precipitation, averaging 22 million m³ annually.

There are two groundwater sources, accounting for 50% of the district's total groundwater. One is located at Daguan Mountain, with a catchment area of 1.3 km², a burial depth of about 18 meters, a thickness of 8 meters, and freshwater distributed across a 600-meter-long and 100–200-meter-wide zone. The other is the Hugou water resource area, with a catchment area of 1.5 km², where the central part of the aquifer is 11–14 meters thick and buried 8–10 meters deep, with freshwater distributed along the ancient valley center from northwest to southeast.

There are two reservoirs in the forest park: Hugou Reservoir, with a storage capacity of 160,000 m³, and Tangli Reservoir, with a storage capacity of 100,000 m³.

In China’s vegetation classification, it is a transitional zone between warm temperate deciduous broad-leaved forests and subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forests.

The Beigu Mountain forest has a warm temperate vegetation ecosystem while also exhibiting subtropical characteristics. It is dominated by mixed broadleaf-conifer forests and black pine forests, along with moso bamboo forests, cypress, Japanese red pine, and exotic tree species.

The park boasts a rich variety of plants, with a forest coverage rate of 86.3% across the entire woodland. Woody plant resources are abundant, including 69 families, 140 genera, and 240 species such as black pine, Japanese red pine, metasequoia, catalpa, chinaberry, camphor tree, neem, and mountain yang tree. There are large areas of mixed black pine and Japanese red pine forests, as well as deciduous broadleaf and subtropical tree species. There are also many bamboo groves, shrubs, osmanthus, and other subtropical plants. Fruit tree cultivation is diverse, with 20 families, 38 genera, and 73 species, including 20 types such as winter jujube, grapes, persimmons, apples, cherries, apricots, and peaches. Medicinal plants exceed 70 species, including kudzu root, platycodon, polygonum multiflorum, lily, honeysuckle, dandelion, ginseng, adenophora, and trichosanthes.

The favorable forest ecological environment fosters abundant animal resources, adding a natural vibrancy to the park. Beigu Mountain Forest Park serves as one of the key stopover sites for migratory birds in Lianyun District, hosting an exceptionally rich diversity of wild birds, including azure-winged magpies, pheasants, ducks, red-crowned cranes, swans, wild geese, white storks, great egrets, frigatebirds, and tailless terns—225 species across 19 orders and 50 families, among which 42 are national first- or second-class protected birds, and 122 are protected under the China-Japan Migratory Bird Protection Agreement. Additionally, there are 270 species across 71 families in 7 orders, including badgers, hares, various snakes, and insects.

With its azure seawater, golden beaches, fresh air, bright sunlight, sturdy cypresses, and rugged rocks, nature has bestowed upon Beigu Mountain Forest Park spectacular mountain and sea scenery, making it truly stand out.

The park features steep cliffs, rugged rocks, and majestic pines and cypresses, each with its own charm; massive and peculiar rocks abound, sparking the imagination and forming unique landscape resources. From the mountaintop, visitors can gaze into the distance, listen to the sound of the waves, and take in the entire coastal panorama. Beigu Mountain offers countless geological, forest, and hydrological wonders, as well as abundant relics, ruins, and legends. Various stone carvings and modern architecture quietly recount the history and cultural heritage of Lianyungang to visitors.

The park is rich in species, especially with clear distributions of flora from the north-south transition zone, making it one of the typical areas for studying subtropical and warm temperate plants. Moreover, a variety of animals thrive here, with numerous bird species frequently seen in the woods and along the coast, allowing visitors to experience island life and interact with birds at any time, forming a major highlight of eco-tourism.

The black pine forests within the park hold exceptional ornamental value, notable for their vast area, robust growth, vigorous vitality, and beautiful tree shapes, ranking among the best in Jiangsu Province. The Japanese red pine forests also hold significant conservation and research value.

Source: Jiangsu Provincial Forestry Bureau