Zhenglan Banner Shangdu River National Wetland Park

Zhenglan Banner Shangdu River National Wetland Park

Zhenglan Banner Shangdu River National Wetland Park is a national-level wetland park.

Zhenglan Banner Shangdu River National Wetland Park is located in Zhenglan Banner, Xilin Gol League, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. It stretches from the border between Heichengzi in Zhenglan Banner and Hebei Province in the west, follows the Shangdu River through Shangdu Town, and extends to Yuanshangtiandi Tourist Area of Wuyi Ranch in the east. Centered around the river channel, it covers a narrow strip area 50–100 meters wide from north to south, with a planned construction area of 11,950 hectares. Of this, the wetland area is 8,869.76 hectares, including 8,734.34 hectares of natural wetland and 135.42 hectares of artificial wetland.

The park’s water system forms extensive riverside marsh wetlands, serving as an important habitat for migratory birds and the breeding of fish and other organisms. It is also a crucial water source for the Luan River. The World Heritage Site of the Yuan Dynasty’s Upper Capital — the only one in Inner Mongolia — is situated along the Shangdu River. Due to long-term human settlement and overgrazing along the riverbanks, livestock numbers far exceeded the land’s capacity, leading to damage of forests and grasslands. This resulted in reduced or even dried-up river flow, wetland shrinkage, and lake depletion. Additionally, upstream damming, coupled with recent high temperatures and drought, has significantly decreased river volume, gradually shrinking the wetland area and reducing biodiversity. Ecological functions have become fragile, with some areas even experiencing environmental degradation.

The establishment of the wetland park helps secure more national project funding and enables rescue protection measures to strengthen the conservation of existing biodiversity and restore the wetland environment vital for rare wildlife. At the same time, it develops tourism resources that integrate wetlands, grasslands, culture, geology, and sandy terrain. With its rich diversity of life, the park serves as a recreational haven where the public can connect with, protect, and enjoy nature.