Gaoleshan Nature Reserve

Gaoleshan Nature Reserve

Gaoleshan Nature Reserve is a national-level nature reserve.

Gaoleshan Nature Reserve is situated in the northeast of Tongbai County, with geographical coordinates ranging from 32°25′55″ to 32°42′40″ north latitude and 113°32′33″ to 113°48′12″ east longitude. It neighbors Pingqiao District of Xinyang to the east, Queshan County of Zhumadian City to the north, Biyang County of Zhumadian City to the west, and looks across the river at Suizhou City of Hubei Province to the south. The reserve spans the three townships of Maoji, Huanggang, and Huilong, features a palm-like distribution, and covers a total area of 10,612 hectares. The core zone encompasses 3,663.5 hectares, the buffer zone 3,093.5 hectares, and the experimental zone 3,855 hectares.

The Gaoleshan Nature Reserve holds a unique geographical location, boasts high forest vegetation coverage, and features rich biodiversity, making it of significant ecological, social, and economic value. The comprehensive worth of the reserve is mainly reflected in the following aspects:

1. Strategic Location Importance

The Huai River, due to its vast drainage basin and the dense population living along its banks, has a profound impact on the political and economic life of the Chinese nation when experiencing either favorable weather conditions or droughts and floods. As such, it is revered by the Chinese people as the “Fengshui River.” The Gaoleshan Reserve is the source of the thousand-mile-long Huai River. Gaoleshan is the headstream of two first-order tributaries of the Huai—the Wuli River and the Maoji River. The reserve also serves as a vital water reservoir at the source of the Huai and is the catchment area for numerous medium and small-sized reservoirs including Nanwan Reservoir, Boshan Reservoir, Hongshizui Reservoir, Jianshan Reservoir, as well as reservoirs like Zhaozhuang, Liushiban, and Lianzhuang. Drinking water and industrial-agricultural water supply for tens of millions of people in Nanyang, Xinyang, southern Zhumadian, and the middle and lower reaches of the Huai River all originate from this area. Due to abundant and concentrated rainfall in July and August, which can easily trigger severe flooding, if the forest ecosystem of the reserve is damaged, massive amounts of floodwater carrying sediment will rush downstream into the Huai River and reservoirs, increasing the sediment content and flood volume of the Huai, shortening the lifespan of hydraulic engineering projects along the river, intensifying flood control difficulties, and complicating Huai River management. Therefore, the extensive forest vegetation of the Gaoleshan Nature Reserve plays a vitally important role in the ecological security, soil and water conservation, and economic development of the Huai River basin, acting as an ecological barrier for Gaoleshan.

2. Transitional Zone Typicality

The reserve is located in the upper reaches of the Huai River, within the Tongbai Mountain range, where there is a significant difference between northern and southern climates. In terms of zoogeography, it lies on the boundary line between the Palearctic realm and the Oriental realm of China. Owing to the relatively low mountain elevation (with the highest peak at 1,140 meters), it forms a transitional area rich in species common to both regions. The reserve sits in the transition zone between the North Subtropical and Warm Temperate zones, with a flora dominated by temperate elements—each accounting for one-third from the North China, Central China, and East China regions. Its vegetation type represents a transitional form from the evergreen forests of the North Subtropics to the deciduous forests of the Warm Temperate zone. In short, both the vegetation and species here are well adapted to the broader geographic environment and specific ecological settings, demonstrating clear regularity and typicality.

3. Biodiversity

3.1 Rare and Endangered Protected Plants

According to the first edition of the “List of Rare and Endangered Protected Plants” published by the Environmental Protection Committee of the State Council in 1984, and the first volume of the “List of China’s Rare and Endangered Protected Plants” issued by the National Environmental Protection Agency and the Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1985, Henan Gaoleshan Nature Reserve is home to 18 species of nationally rare and endangered protected plants, belonging to 17 families and 17 genera, accounting for approximately 37.8% of Henan Province’s nationally protected rare and endangered plant species.

In accordance with the “List of Key Nationally Protected Wild Plants (First Batch)” announced by the State Council on August 4, 1999, the reserve contains 15 species of key nationally protected plants, including 2 Class I and 13 Class II protected plants, making up 54% of Henan Province’s key nationally protected plants.

Based on the “List of Key Protected Plants of Henan Province” issued by the Henan Provincial People’s Government in Document No. Yu Zheng [2005] 1, there are 98 species of provincially key protected plants in Henan, including 93 seed plants. This reserve hosts 32 of those species, distributed across 21 families and 27 genera, representing 32.7% of the province’s key protected plant species.

According to the “National List of Precious Tree Species” (Appendix of Document No. 52 [1992] of the Ministry of Forestry), which classifies first and second-class precious tree species nationwide, Henan Province has 19 such species, 8 of which are found in this reserve—accounting for 42% of Henan’s precious trees. This includes 1 Class I and 7 Class II species.

3.2 Rare and Endangered Protected Animals

A total of 1,036 insect species have been identified within the Gaoleshan Nature Reserve, belonging to 1,36 families across 12 orders. There are 70 fish species from 13 families under 7 orders. The amphibian fauna includes 12 species from 6 families across 2 orders, accounting for 38.7% of the province’s amphibian species. The reptile population consists of 34 species from 7 families under 2 orders, including 2 species from 2 families in the Testudines order and 32 species from 5 families in the Squamata order. The reserve is particularly rich in avian species, with 316 bird species from 58 families under 17 orders, representing 87.8% of the province’s bird diversity. There are also 53 species and subspecies of mammals from 39 genera across 6 orders. Among these, 20 species belong to the Palearctic realm, making up 39.62% of all mammals in the reserve; 24 species belong to the Oriental realm, accounting for 45.3%; and 9 widely distributed species make up 16.98%. The faunal composition shows clear characteristics of a north-south transitional zone.

As of now, 44 bird species known to inhabit the reserve are under national key protection, representing 13.92% of all bird species. There are 118 bird species covered under the China-Japan Agreement on the Conservation of Migratory Birds, 28 species under the China-Australia Agreement, and 128 species of migratory birds jointly protected under the China-Japan-Australia Agreement, accounting for 40% of the total bird species.

Within China’s vegetation classification, the Gaoleshan Reserve belongs to the pine-oak forest vegetation patch of the Tongbai and Dabie Mountains and hills, part of the subtropical evergreen-deciduous broadleaf forest region. It exhibits transitional characteristics from the South Warm Temperate to the North Subtropical zones. The reserve’s vegetation includes 5 vegetation type groups, 13 vegetation types, 48 formations, and a large number of associations. With a relative elevation difference of 1,000 meters, the vegetation shows a distinct vertical zonation pattern and boasts rich diversity in vegetation types.

4. Uniqueness and Rarity

The reserve is home to 28 species of 24 endemic plant genera to China. It hosts 3 species of Class I nationally protected plants, 10 species of Class II protected plants, and 43 species pending Class II listing. Seventeen species are included in the “China Plant Red Data Book (First Volume),” and 43 species are listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The reserve contains 4 species of Class I and 27 species of Class II nationally protected animals, along with 39 species listed in CITES Appendices I, II, and III. In total, there are 175 species of terrestrial wild animals that are beneficial or hold significant economic or scientific research value and are under national protection.

5. Ecosystem Fragility

The complexity of the terrain and the transitional nature of the climate and vegetation contribute to the sensitivity and fragility of the reserve’s ecosystem. Located in inland mountainous areas of China, the reserve is surrounded by a large population, faces significant environmental pressure, and has a relatively underdeveloped economy. Community development is highly dependent on forest resources, making the ecological environment of the reserve highly vulnerable to human activities. Additionally, due to abundant rainfall, high runoff, and thin soil layers, any damage to the vegetation can easily lead to irreversible soil erosion and retrogressive ecological succession, resulting in catastrophic consequences.

6. Appropriateness of Reserve Area

The Gaoleshan Nature Reserve spans 10,612 hectares and is contiguous, forming a large, integrated natural area rather than several isolated “green islands.” This facilitates the protection and management of the natural ecosystem and its species. The contiguous expanse also meets the needs for the habitation and reproduction of biological species, effectively maintaining the structure and function of the ecosystem.

7. Academic Research Value

The reserve serves as a living textbook for studying the occurrence, development, and succession of subtropical forest ecosystems within the ecological transition zone from the North Subtropical to the Warm Temperate belt. With its diverse floristic geographic components, ecosystem variety, and abundant rare and endangered flora and fauna, the Gaoleshan Nature Reserve is an excellent base for scientific research and education. The research conducted here holds high scientific and academic value.

In summary, the construction and development of the reserve are of great strategic importance for the ecological security of Gaoleshan, the preservation and development of its rare animal and plant populations and forest ecosystems, and for maximizing its roles in soil and water conservation and water source nurturing. These functions are crucial for ensuring the domestic and industrial-agricultural water supply for hundreds of millions of people in the middle and lower reaches of the Huai River. Moreover, the quality and quantity of its water directly impact the water safety of China’s Eastern Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project.