Shahe National Wetland Park

Shahe National Wetland Park

Shahe National Wetland Park is a national AAA-level tourist attraction and a national wetland park.

Henan Luohe City Shahe National Wetland Park is situated within the administrative jurisdiction of Wuyang County, Luohe City, Henan Province. It is located in the Nihewan Flood Storage Area at the junction of Beiwudu Town, Lianhua Town, and Taiwei Town. This area suffers minimal human disturbance, enjoys ample annual rainfall, and has excellent natural conditions, ensuring rich biodiversity. Establishing a national wetland park here will play a significant positive role in protecting the local gene pool. The planned area of Luohe Shahe National Wetland Park spans 651.33 hectares, of which 449.90 hectares are wetlands, accounting for 69.07% of the total area. Within the planned wetland zone, river wetlands cover 386.78 hectares (86.00% of the wetland area), while artificial wetlands span 63.12 hectares (14.00%). The Shahe Wetland is one of the most important wetlands in Luohe City and serves as a typical representation of river wetlands in the Central Plains region. The area features vast tidal flats and gathers numerous migratory birds.

Furthermore, wetlands play an irreplaceable role in purifying water sources, alleviating pollution, and conserving soil, hence they are vividly referred to as the "kidneys of the Earth." Shahe National Wetland Park can effectively replenish local groundwater, control floods, prevent soil desertification, and trap sediments, toxic substances, and nutrients, thereby mitigating the harm caused by environmental pollution. Its remarkable ability also lies in storing carbon in the form of organic matter, thus reducing the greenhouse effect.

Shahe National Wetland Park can effectively regulate floodwaters and prevent natural disasters. Wetlands play a crucial role in water storage, regulating river runoff, replenishing groundwater, and maintaining regional water balance, serving as a natural “sponge” for flood storage. They can distribute uneven precipitation across time and space, and through the wetlands’ absorption and release functions, they help avoid droughts and floods. Many lakes in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River—such as Dongting Lake, Poyang Lake, and Taihu Lake—have historically functioned as water reservoirs, preventing countless flood disasters. Many reservoirs have also played a significant role in flood control and drought relief. Most wetland areas in Wuyang County consist of marshes, which share similar functions. In addition, the evaporation from wetlands contributes to local rainfall, stabilizing regional climate conditions and helping to regulate the regional climate.

Shahe National Wetland Park helps maintain a humid climate and purify the environment, serving as an important component of the ecosystem. Most of it develops in negative landform types, where long-term water accumulation supports dense vegetation with intertwined roots and accumulated remains. Submerged marshes typically also have a grass root layer several dozen centimeters thick. This loose and porous root layer has strong water retention capabilities, capable of holding 3–15 times its own absolute dry weight in water. It not only stores large amounts of moisture but also continuously returns water to the atmosphere through plant transpiration and evaporation, thereby increasing air humidity, regulating precipitation, and playing a beneficial role in the natural water cycle. Experimental studies show that one hectare of marsh can evaporate 7,415 tons of water during the growing season, highlighting its significant climate-regulating function. Additionally, wetlands possess biogeochemical functions. They store large quantities of carbon and nitrogen. Research indicates that the carbon stored in wetland peat ranges from 120–260 PgC, about 15% of the Earth's total carbon content. While biologically fixing carbon, wetlands also slowly release CO₂ and CH₄ into the atmosphere, slowing global warming. Currently, issues such as global warming and greenhouse gas emissions cannot be ignored. The carbon storage function of wetlands aligns with the current concept of a “low-carbon” lifestyle and holds positive significance for the global climate.