Wulipo Nature Reserve

Wulipo Nature Reserve

Wulipo Nature Reserve is a national-level nature reserve.

Chongqing Wulipo National Nature Reserve is situated in the northeast of Wushan County, at the junction of Chongqing and Hubei Province. It borders Badong County of Hubei Province to the east, Shennongjia Forest District to the west, and Wuxi County of Chongqing to the north. Adjacent to Chongqing Yintiaoling National Nature Reserve, Hubei Shennongjia National Nature Reserve, and Dajiuhu National Wetland Park, it lies between 109°47′–110°10′ east longitude and 31°15′–31°29′ north latitude. The reserve spans two forest farms and 21 villages across five townships, covering a total area of 35,276.6 hectares. This includes a core zone of 17,323.1 hectares, a buffer zone of 6,555.8 hectares, and an experimental zone of 11,397.7 hectares. It is classified as a forest ecological nature reserve.

The reserve is located at the intersection of the Daba Mountain Arc and the East Sichuan Fold Belt, predominantly featuring low and mid-altitude mountainous terrain with widespread karst landforms. The lowest elevation is just 170 meters, while the highest reaches 2,680 meters, resulting in rugged topography and significant altitude variation. The area has a subtropical monsoon humid climate, with around 225 days per year averaging temperatures above 10°C. Annual precipitation is approximately 1,400 mm, with 55%–60% concentrated in the summer, making the rainy season distinct. The main soil types are mountain yellow soil, mountain brown-yellow soil, and mountain brown soil, along with scattered occurrences of fluvo-aquic soil, purple soil, and podzolic soil. Surface water resources are abundant, with a total runoff of 150 million cubic meters. The reserve includes two major rivers, the Dangyang River and Miaotang River, as well as numerous streams, all part of the Yangtze River system. There are seven vegetation types (cold-temperate coniferous forest, temperate coniferous forest, warm coniferous forest, broad-leaved forest, bamboo forest, shrubland, and shrub-grassland), comprising 59 formations. The reserve hosts 2,646 species of vascular plants from 894 genera and 196 families. According to the “First List of National Key Protected Wild Plants” published by the State Forestry Administration in 1999, the reserve contains 19 species of nationally protected wild plants (including 4 Class I and 15 Class II). It is also home to 422 species of terrestrial vertebrates from 252 genera and 94 families across 29 orders, 113 species of fish from 72 genera and 16 families across 7 orders, and 258 species of insects from 209 genera and 73 families across 12 orders. Based on the “National Key Protected Wildlife List” issued by the Ministry of Forestry in 1989, the reserve safeguards 55 species of nationally protected wildlife (including 8 Class I and 47 Class II).

The reserve was established in 2000. To fully leverage the Wulipo forest area’s role in water conservation and ecological balance maintenance, as well as to protect local wildlife resources, in September 2000, the Wushan County People’s Government designated the Wulipo Nature Reserve in the northeast of Wushan County, where natural vegetation remains well-preserved, natural resources are abundant, and wildlife is densely distributed. In December 2002, the Chongqing Municipal People’s Government approved the establishment of the Wushan Wulipo Municipal Nature Reserve. In December 2003, the Wushan Wulipo Forest Farm was additionally designated as the Wushan Wulipo Municipal Nature Reserve Management Office, adopting a management system of one institution with two plaques. In 2007, the Wushan Wulipo Forest Farm was renamed the Chongqing Wulipo Municipal Nature Reserve Management Office, while the previously added Wushan Wulipo Municipal Nature Reserve Management Office plaque was abolished. In June 2013, the State Council approved the upgrade of Wulipo Reserve to a national-level nature reserve. In November 2013, the Wushan County Institutional Compilation Committee approved the establishment of the Chongqing Wulipo National Nature Reserve Administration, a public institution at the subdistrict (section) level.