Dahaotuo

Dahaotuo

Dahaotuo is a national nature reserve.

Hebei Dahaotuo National Nature Reserve is located on the northwest foothills of Dahaotuo Mountain in the southwestern part of Chicheng County, Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province. It borders Yanqing District of Beijing to the south, sharing a boundary along the mountain ridge with Beijing Songshan National Nature Reserve. To the west, it neighbors Huailai County of Hebei, and to the northeast, it connects with Diaoe Town and Dahaotuo Township of Chicheng County. It is about 15 km wide from east to west and 13 km long from north to south, with a total land area of 12,634 hectares.

Originally established as the Dahaotuo State-Owned Forest Farm, the reserve was designated as Hebei Dahaotuo Provincial Nature Reserve in July 1999 by the People’s Government of Hebei Province, due to its complex natural environment and well-preserved forest ecosystem. In June 2003, it was officially upgraded to a national nature reserve under the approval of the State Council Document No. [2003]54.

The protection type of Dahaotuo National Nature Reserve is forest ecosystem. Within the reserve, there is a well-preserved typical warm temperate mountain forest ecosystem and secondary forests of Larix principis-rupprechtii. It is also home to nationally protected Class I and II wildlife species such as the leopard, serow, white-tailed sea eagle, golden eagle, northern goshawk, Eurasian sparrowhawk, Japanese sparrowhawk, common buzzard, red-footed falcon, common kestrel, Eurasian hobby, northern goshawk, long-eared owl, Eurasian eagle-owl, and koklass pheasant, as well as several rare and endangered plant species.

The reserve boasts a rich diversity of wildlife and plant resources, holding significant scientific research and conservation value. The establishment of Dahaotuo National Nature Reserve provides an ideal site for studying the succession patterns of biotic communities, wildlife ecology, and habitat conditions in the mountainous regions of northern Hebei. Together with Beijing Songshan National Nature Reserve, Dahaotuo forms a contiguous protected area that improves living conditions for endangered animals, greatly benefiting the survival and reproduction of nationally protected species such as leopards and serows. The relatively intact mountain forest ecosystem also serves as a model for vegetation restoration and ecological construction in the mountainous areas of northern Hebei. Moreover, the reserve plays a crucial role in enhancing water conservation in the upper reaches of the Chaobai River Basin, thereby ensuring the stability of Beijing’s water supply. As the highest peak in northern Beijing, Dahaotuo Mountain runs in an east-west direction. Together with Beijing Songshan Nature Reserve, Dahaotuo National Nature Reserve forms a natural barrier that protects Beijing from wind and sandstorms, serving as a vital component of the city’s ecological security.