Daxianfeng Nature Reserve

Daxianfeng Nature Reserve

The Daxianfeng Reserve is a national wetland park.

The Datian Daxianfeng Provincial Nature Reserve is located in the central part of Fujian Province, in the southern part of Datian County. It lies at the junction of five townships in Datian County: Shipai, Pingshan, Xieyang, Wuling, and Wushan. Its eastern boundary reaches Neiyang Village in Pingshan Township, its southern boundary reaches Zixi Village in Wushan Township, its western boundary reaches Shiyang Village in Wuling Township, and its northern boundary reaches Laocuo Village in Shipai Town. The geographical coordinates are between 117°47′02″ to 117°53′00″ east longitude and 25°32′02″ to 25°38′01″ north latitude. The administrative area includes Yuping, Xitou, and Neiyang in Pingshan Township; Mashan, Gaishan, Shikeng, Gongqiao, and Laocuiping in Shipai Town; Kengkou, Xiangshan, Huaide, and Shangzhen in Xieyang Township; Dashi and Shiyang Villages in Wuling Township; and Zixi Village in Wushan Township. It spans across 5 townships (towns) and 15 villages.

Approved by the Fujian Provincial People’s Government in February 2003, the reserve covers an area of 6,893 hectares. In 2005, the functional zoning of the Datian Daxianfeng Nature Reserve was adjusted with approval from the Fujian Provincial People’s Government. After the adjustment, the total area of the reserve is 6,886.1 hectares, including 6,793.1 hectares of forested land—of which 772.5 hectares are state-owned forest and 6,020.6 hectares are collectively owned forest—and 93.0 hectares of non-forested land. The core zone covers 2,033.5 hectares, accounting for 29.5% of the total area; the buffer zone covers 1,408.5 hectares, accounting for 20.5%; and the experimental zone covers 3,444.1 hectares, accounting for 50.0%. The Datian Daxianfeng Provincial Nature Reserve is classified under the “natural ecosystem” category, specifically as a “forest ecosystem” type. Its primary goal is to protect the zonal vegetation of the mid-subtropical region and its ecological environment, comprehensively preserving the mid-subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forests, rare and endangered species, the biological species resources they inhabit, and the surrounding natural environment. It serves as a comprehensive provincial-level nature reserve integrating species and ecosystem conservation, water source conservation, scientific research, public education, eco-tourism, and the sustainable use of natural resources. Its key conservation targets are as follows:

(1) The zonal vegetation of the mid-subtropical region and its ecological environment.

(2) Nationally protected plants include two Class I species: Taxus chinensis var. mairei (Southern Yew) and Bretschneidera sinensis (Bell tree), and ten Class II species: Cibotium barometz (Golden Chicken Fern), Fokienia hodginsii (Fujian Cypress), Torreya grandis (Chinese Torreya), Cinnamomum camphora (Camphor Tree), Phoebe bournei (Fujian Nanmu), Semiliquidambar cathayensis (Half Maple Leaf), Liriodendron chinense (Tulip Tree), Ormosia henryi (Henry’s Rosewood), Actinidia chinensis (Chinese Kiwi), and Camptotheca acuminata (Happy Tree). There are also eleven provincially protected rare and endangered plants in Fujian: Cephalotaxus fortunei (Three-pointed Fir), Amentotaxus argotaenia (Ribbonwood), Podocarpus neriifolius (Mourning Cypress), Parakmeria lotungensis (Lodong Pseudomonoecious Magnolia), Cyclobalanopsis glauca (Fujian Oak), Osmanthus marginatus (Zhejiang Osmanthus), Cinnamomum kanehirae (Water Immersed Camphor), Machilus pauhoi (Wood Carving Litsea), Machilus thunbergii (Red Litsea), Camellia fangchengensis (Pear Tea), and Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Jiaogulan). Additionally, there are nine species of orchids: Anoectochilus roxburghii (Flower-leaved Anoectochilus), Goodyera biflora (Large-spotted Goodyera), Cymbidium ensifolium (Jian Orchid), Calanthe sylvatica (Hooked Calanthe), Cymbidium floribundum (Many-flowered Cymbidium), Liparis nervosa (Fragrant Liparis), Pleione bulbocodioides (Solo Garlic Orchid), Pholidota chinensis (Stone Orchid), and Spathoglottis pubescens (Bract Swordleaf).

(3) Nationally protected animals include two Class I species: Python bivittatus (Burmese Python) and Neofelis nebulosa (Clouded Leopard), and eighteen Class II species: Macaca mulatta (Rhesus Macaque), Manis pentadactyla (Chinese Pangolin), Prionailurus bengalensis (Leopard Cat), Paguma larvata (Masked Palm Civet), Capricornis milneedwardsii (Serow), Hoplobatrachus rugulosus (Chinese Edible Frog), Accipiter soloensis (Chinese Sparrowhawk), Accipiter virgatus (Besra), Buteo buteo (Common Buzzard), Spilornis cheela (Crested Serpent Eagle), Clanga clanga (Greater Spotted Eagle), Ictinaetus malaiensis (Mountain Hawk-Eagle), Falco tinnunculus (Common Kestrel), Lophura nycthemera (Silver Pheasant), Centropus sinensis (Greater Coucal), Centropus bengalensis (Lesser Coucal), Strix leptogrammica (Brown Wood Owl), and Glaucidium cuculoides (Barred Owlet). There are also five provincially protected bird species in Fujian and fifteen bird species protected under the China-Japan Migratory Bird Agreement. Four provincially protected mammal species in Fujian include Mustela kathiah (Yellow-bellied Weasel), Herpestes urva (Crab-eating Mongoose), Prionailurus bengalensis (Leopard Cat), and Petaurista spp. (Flying Squirrels).

(4) Habitats of nationally protected animals and native sites of rare plants.

(5) The water source area of the Youxi River, an important first-level tributary of the Min River in Fujian.