Yiling Quanyitang National Wetland Park

Yiling Quanyitang National Wetland Park

Yiling Quanyitang National Wetland Park is a national-level wetland park.

Quanyitang National Wetland Park is located within the Zhangcunping Forest Farm in Yiling District and was approved for establishment by the State Forestry Administration in December 2015. The name "Quanyitang" comes from the natural landscape where streams wind around peaks, resembling nearly a hundred “round chairs” placed amidst green mountains and clear waters. The wetland is 114.5 kilometers from downtown Yichang, with a planned total area of 326.6 hectares. Quanyitang is a unique type of subalpine forest swamp wetland—currently, only Quanyitang and Shennongjia’s Dajiuhu in Hubei and Central China possess this type, making it extremely precious. It holds significant value for key protection, scientific research, and resource conservation. The wetland consists of thousand-year-old primeval forests, green meadows, swampy streams, clear spring shoals, and forest creeks, featuring five types of wetlands: permanent rivers, moss swamps, herbaceous swamps, shrub swamps, and forest swamps.

The main peak of the wetland, Quanyitang, stands at 1,962.5 meters, making it the highest peak in Yiling. It is the source of the western branch of the Huangbai River, a first-level tributary of the Yangtze River, and the eastern branch of the Xiangxi River. It serves as an important ecological barrier for the Gezhouba and Three Gorges Dam reservoir areas of the Yangtze River, as well as a crucial drinking water source and protected water zone for Yiling. It is also a vital water source and irrigation supply for industrial production and agriculture in Yiling, Dangyang, Zhijiang, and Yuan’an counties. Furthermore, it plays an essential role in ensuring water supply and safety for a downstream area covering 9,500 square kilometers. In a very real sense, Quanyitang Wetland is directly linked to the water resource security, ecological security, and water supply safety of Yiling, and can be considered the most critical lifeline for the region.

After on-site investigations, renowned domestic wetland experts such as Lü Xianguo, Ma Keming, Wang Xuelei, Zhu Jianguo, and Yu Dan unanimously agreed that the precious swamp peat of Quanyitang Wetland is equivalent to constructing a never-drying medium-sized reservoir at the summit of an ancient forest above 1,900 meters in elevation. Establishing Quanyitang National Wetland Park aims to protect this unique subalpine forest swamp wetland ecosystem found only in Central China, along with its distinctive wetland environment and rich wildlife resources, representing a rare biodiversity.