Yashu Mountain Nature Reserve

Yashu Mountain Nature Reserve

The Ninghua Yashu Mountain Provincial Nature Reserve is located within Anyuan Township, bordering Jiangxi Province to the west. It covers a total area of 5,249.7 hectares, with the peak reaching an elevation of 1,387 meters. The reserve is home to 69 species of rare and endangered wild animals and plants. Among these, five species of wildlife are under national first-class protection, including the golden leopard, clouded leopard, sika deer, and Lady Amherst’s pheasant; three species of trees are under national first-class protection, including the fragrant fruit tree, Dipteronia sinensis, and the southern yew. Among the wild plants, there are also medicinal species such as shortcalyx coptis, dendrobium, dysosma versipellis, and golden thread orchid; ornamental plants include bellflower cherry, wild michelia, spring orchid, and cool orchid; and there is a rich diversity of spices and other plants such as Chinese kiwifruit, mountain spicy fruit, ganoderma, tea tree mushroom, shiitake, red mushroom, and wood ear fungus. In September 1997, experts and professors from Fujian Province conducted an on-site investigation and were pleasantly surprised, concluding that the forest of Yashu Mountain is a typical mid-subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest zone—a rare treasure. In southern China, apart from Xishuangbanna and Shennongjia, only a few primeval mountain forest areas serve as important habitats for rare and endangered wildlife, all of which are in urgent need of protection. In February 1999, the Yashu Mountain Nature Reserve was designated as a provincial nature reserve by the People’s Government of Fujian Province. The experimental zone of the reserve now features tourism projects such as “Forest Homestay Agritainment,” offering services such as meals, accommodation, and guided tours, making it a great destination for vacationing, fitness, and summer retreats.