Lengshui River Nature Reserve

Lengshui River Nature Reserve

Lengshui River Nature Reserve

Lengshui River Nature Reserve, situated at the junction of the Hushui Sancha area of Pingba Township 30 kilometers northwest of the county town, the Datian and Luzhu areas of Datian Township, the Qingmen and Hongzi areas of Qingmen Township, the Huanshu and Taiping areas of Taiping Township, the Shichang area of Shichang Township, and the Lanba area of Guihua Township, covers the drainage basins of the Lengshui River, Yousha River, and their tributaries — Shen'gou River, Huaju River, Sancha River, Niulu'gou River, and Dayutiao River. Stretching 20 kilometers upstream along the river and its tributaries from the dam of the Changzheng Hydropower Station, and extending 1.5 kilometers horizontally on both sides of the valley, the protected area spans a total of 28.3 square kilometers.

Within the reserve, elevations range from 700 to 1,500 meters. The river valley features steep cliffs and rock faces as if cut by a knife, with narrow and deep gorges that receive very little sunlight — some areas remain sunless year-round. The climate is warm and humid, with an average January temperature of 3.6–6°C and an average July temperature of 24.3–27°C. Annual precipitation is 1,136 mm, and the valley floor never freezes. Due to limited accessibility, the area remains largely untouched by humans, preserving its pristine state.

At the source of the Lengshui River, waterfalls cascade down with crystal-clear flow. Within the reserve, waterfalls are clustered together, numbering nearly twenty, most with drops exceeding 40 meters. Thanks to the lush vegetation — equivalent in function to a 2.5 million cubic meter reservoir — the river flows year-round, and waterfalls hang spectacularly across all seasons. Towering peaks rise sharply along the riverbanks, and ancient trees stretch skyward. The area still maintains no fewer than 500 species of higher plants, mostly evergreens. The middle and lower parts of the valley consist of typical mid-subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest, with undulating forest canopies that stay emerald green all year. Trees over 20 meters tall — including species from the Fagaceae family such as Castanopsis, Lithocarpus, and Camellia, as well as Schima — dominate the upper canopy layers, creating distinct stratification. Large lianas climb among them, while epiphytic ferns and shrubs fill the forest interior. The ground layer has a well-developed moss cover, making the reserve a year-round verdant valley.

Among the trees, many ancient specimens are widely distributed, most over 250 years old. Rare plant species include the Southern Yew, Fujian Cypress, Podocarpus nagi, Cephalotaxus fortunei, Torreya grandis, Emmenopterys henryi, Magnolia officinalis, Phoebe sheareri, and Dalbergia hupeana. One particularly notable specimen is a Camellia pitardii that stands 35 meters tall, with a trunk diameter of 1.55 meters and a crown measuring 10×10 meters; a Fujian Cypress reaches 22 meters in height with a 70 cm diameter. These, along with Podocarpus nagi, grow in patches here — a phenomenon rare even globally. The dense forest shelters the breeding and survival of various animal species. Rare animals include giant earthworms (up to 40 cm long and 3 cm in diameter), Chinese Giant Salamanders, Lady Amherst’s Pheasants, Temminck’s Tragopans, monkeys, Chinese Pangolins, Brush-tailed Porcupines, Raccoon Dogs, jackals, Chinese Otters, Hog Badgers, Masked Palm Civets, Leopards, Musk Deer, Roe Deer, Hubei Mouflons, Serows, and Wild Boars. There are also various snake species such as the Cobra, as well as numerous bird species.