Xiuning Hengjiang National Wetland Park

Xiuning Hengjiang National Wetland Park

Xiuning Hengjiang National Wetland Park is a national-level wetland park.

Anhui Xiuning Hengjiang National Wetland Park is located in the northern part of Xiuning County. The park mainly encompasses the main channel of the Hengjiang River and its major tributary, the Jiaxi River, including the surrounding wetlands and parts of the adjacent woodland. It stretches from the confluence of the Dongting River and the Hengjiang River in the west to the Nanqian Bridge (near the county boundary of Xiuning County) in the east, and reaches Dongguan Jie (the upstream boundary of the drinking water surface source wetland park). The riverbanks are bounded by roads and embankments, with the right bank of the Hengjiang River in the Haiyang section also including woodland within the first mountain ridge line. The geographical coordinates are 118°01′22" to 118°13′39" east longitude and 29°45′22" to 29°49′04" north latitude, covering a total area of 661.09 hectares, of which 441.28 hectares are wetlands, representing a wetland ratio of 66.75%.

The wetland park boasts abundant wild plants. Surveys have recorded 493 species of higher plants from 346 genera and 138 families, including 26 species of bryophytes (16 families, 24 genera), 40 species of ferns (18 families, 32 genera), 10 species of gymnosperms (4 families, 9 genera), and 417 species of angiosperms (100 families, 281 genera). Nationally protected plants include the first-class protected species Glyptostrobus pensilis (Chinese swamp cypress) and Metasequoia glyptostroboides (dawn redwood), both gymnosperms, as well as the second-class protected species Cephalotaxus sinensis (Chinese plum yew) and Glycine soja (wild soybean).

The wetland park is home to a diverse range of animal species. The favorable aquatic environment has resulted in rich wetland bird resources, with 35 species from 13 families across 7 orders, including the nationally first-class protected Oriental stork, and three second-class protected species: the Chinese egret, mandarin duck, and Japanese crested ibis. Additionally, there are 27 species of mammals from 13 families across 7 orders, 17 species of reptiles from 6 families across 2 orders, 12 species of amphibians from 8 families across 2 orders, and 34 species of fish from 16 families across 7 orders. Overall, the park exhibits high biodiversity among wetland flora and fauna.

Anhui Xiuning Hengjiang National Wetland Park aims to protect the high water quality of the Hengjiang River, its abundant flora and fauna, and ensure the ecological safety of Qiandao Lake. Leveraging its superior wetland resources, the park showcases the beautiful water town scenery of southern Anhui and the long-standing historical and cultural heritage of the Hengjiang River. It engages in wetland conservation, scientific research and monitoring, and eco-tourism activities. The goal is to establish a national-level wetland park that integrates wetland protection, the display of Hengjiang River history and culture, scientific research and monitoring, and wetland eco-tourism, making it an ecologically focused protected wetland park.