Yinchuan National Wetland Park

Yinchuan National Wetland Park

Yinchuan National Wetland Park is a national-level wetland park.

Yinchuan National Wetland Park is divided into two areas: Mingcui Lake and Yuehai. Mingcui Lake is located in the eastern part of Xingqing District, Yinchuan, 9 km west of the city center and 3 km east of the Yellow River, covering a total area of 667 hectares. Yuehai is situated in the northwest of Jinfeng District, Yinchuan, 3 km from the city center, with a total area of 2100 hectares.

Yuehai comprises lakes, marshes, and meadows, with aquatic vegetation mainly consisting of reeds and cattails. It is home to 114 plant species and 107 bird species, boasting exceptionally rich wetland resources. Mingcui Lake has abundant birdlife, with 97 bird species.

Yinchuan National Wetland Park is the third national-level wetland park in China, and the first in the western region as well as the Yellow River basin.

Mingcui Lake

The geographical location of Mingcui Lake is at 106°22′ east longitude and 38°3′ north latitude. It is a natural alluvial plain lake beach landform formed by the eastward shift of the ancient Yellow River channel and the uplift of the Ordos Plateau. This area combines landscapes such as the Loess Plateau, the Yellow River, lakes, reed beds, and wetlands. The average elevation is 1,100 meters. To the north, it is bordered by Yinhuang Road; to the south, it extends to the Yongning Central Drainage Ditch; to the east, it lies adjacent to Huinong Canal; and one kilometer to the west is Hanyan Canal. There are large areas of fish ponds and rice fields around the lake, with sparse residential development. Zhangzheng Town is just one kilometer from Mingcui Lake. The location of Mingcui Lake is unique and important, making it the most significant wetland ecological zone in the eastern part of Yinchuan.

Yinchuan Mingcui Lake National Wetland Park is home to 97 bird species, including the Black Stork, Scaly-sided Merganser, White-tailed Sea Eagle, and Great Bustard, all of which are Class I protected animals in China.

Yuehai

Yuehai Wetland Park covers more than 12,000 acres, featuring vast waters, beautiful scenery, and rich biodiversity. It is the largest and most ecologically intact wetland in Yinchuan. Yinchuan Yuehai National Wetland Park hosts 107 bird species, including Class I protected animals such as the Red-crowned Crane, Scaly-sided Merganser, Great Bustard, Little Bustard, and White-tailed Sea Eagle; and 19 Class II protected species such as the Whooper Swan, Tundra Swan, Mandarin Duck, Siberian Crane, Steppe Eagle, Eurasian Hobby, Peregrine Falcon, and Common Crane. Every spring and summer, nearly one million birds breed and inhabit here.