Linhe Yellow River National Wetland Park

Linhe Yellow River National Wetland Park

Linhe Yellow River National Wetland Park is a national-level wetland park.

Inner Mongolia’s Linhe Yellow River National Wetland Park is situated in the upper-middle reaches of China’s Yellow River basin, on the north bank of the Yellow River’s “Big Bend,” at the southern foot of the Hetao Plain, within Linhe District, Bayannur City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Its geographical coordinates range from 107°21′26″ to 107°32′29″ east longitude and 40°40′27″ to 40°41′54″ north latitude, covering a planned total area of 4,637.6 hectares. It represents a typical type of reed marsh wetland found along the Yellow River in the arid and semi-arid regions of western China, serving as an ideal habitat for migratory birds in China’s mid-temperate zone. The Linhe Yellow River Wetland acts as a natural barrier that safeguards the water ecological security of the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River basin and plays a crucial role in desertification prevention and control across northern China.

The Yellow River flows through Linhe for approximately 50 kilometers, with an average annual runoff of 36.72 billion cubic meters. Under the hydrological influence of the upper Yellow River, large areas of reed marsh wetlands have formed along the riverbanks. The Linhe Yellow River Wetland Park features a diverse range of plant types, including forest, shrubland, meadow, marsh, and aquatic vegetation communities. The planned area is rich in animal resources, encompassing 81 bird species from 25 families across 14 orders, 62 zooplankton species from 3 phyla, 20 fish species from 7 families across 4 orders, and 2 amphibian species from 1 family and 1 order. There are also 29 vascular plant species from 15 families under 1 phylum, and 72 phytoplankton species from 6 phyla. According to statistics, the planning area is home to three nationally protected bird species under Class I, including the white-tailed sea eagle, great bustard, and Saunders’s gull, as well as 14 Class II protected bird species such as the spot-billed pelican, Eurasian spoonbill, whooper swan, Pallas’s sea eagle, northern goshawk, and Eurasian sparrowhawk.

The rise of the Xiongnu, the rise and fall of the Han dynasties, and the battles of the Song, Yuan, Liao, and Jin dynasties are all closely linked to the fertile Hetao Plain. Various ethnic groups have lived together harmoniously here, forming a unique Hetao cultural system where multiple cultures blend organically, preserving a wealth of valuable historical and cultural heritage. In line with the autonomous region’s strategic goal of “building a vital green ecological barrier for desertification prevention and control in northern China,” and the strategic plan of the Bayannur Municipal Party Committee and Government to “integrate into the Hohhot-Baotou-Ordos economic circle and develop the Yellow River Economic Belt,” the Linhe District Party Committee and Government have placed high importance on this initiative. They established the “Inner Mongolia Linhe Yellow River National Wetland Park Project Leadership Group” to fully advance the construction of the park.

The Yellow River Wetland Park Tourist Area is located at the southern end of Linhe District, Bayannur City, adjacent to the northern side of the Shuanghe New District, covering a total area of 1.96 million square meters. The park focuses on ecological protection, cultural dissemination, leisure tourism, and natural wilderness experiences, and is divided into seven functional zones: the Mongol-Yuan Culture Exhibition Area, Urban Culture Leisure Area, Yellow River Culture Exhibition Area, Farming Civilization Viewing Area, Ecological Fishery Experience Area, Ecological Leisure and Entertainment Area, and Water Activity Entertainment Area. The planned total area is 2.098 million square meters, including 636,000 square meters of the main canal water surface.

1. Mongol-Yuan Culture Exhibition Area

The Mongolian Tribal Cultural Park is located in the middle section of the southern bank of the park, with a construction area of about 1,600 square meters and a site area of about 4,500 square meters. Themed around tribal culture, the park showcases the folk history, production and lifestyle, tools, marriage customs, and especially traditional costumes of 12 Mongolian tribes. It vividly recreates the long history of interaction and integration between the grassland ethnic groups and the Central Plains Han people, as well as between nomadic grassland culture and agrarian Central Plains culture. This exhibition adds new vibrancy to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, particularly the flourishing of northern ethnic minorities.

2. Urban Culture Leisure Area

The Urban Culture Leisure Area is situated west of the Linhe Railway (East) Bridge and east of the Jinchuan Bridge. It features a music plaza, an octagonal pavilion, rockeries, and a waterside platform. The music plaza is currently the city’s largest music-themed cultural leisure plaza. Ubiquitous background music ensures visitors can enjoy high-quality sound no matter where they are in the plaza.

3. Yellow River Culture Exhibition Area

The Yellow River Culture Exhibition Area primarily centers around the Yellow River Hydraulic Culture Museum. The museum faces south and is 230 meters long from east to west and 10 meters wide from north to south. It symbolizes the spirit of the “Main Canal,” which stretches 230 kilometers in total — reflecting our commitment to embodying the “Main Canal” spirit through dedicated effort. The central part of the exhibition hall consists of a foyer and a multi-functional lecture hall, covering nearly 3,000 square meters. Its overall shape resembles a flying wild goose spreading its wings.

The Yellow River Hydraulic Culture Museum embodies a new cultural philosophy that integrates social progress, science and technology, and literature and art. It defines its exhibition content based on the culture derived from hydraulic engineering in the Yellow River basin and the Hetao Irrigation District. The museum prominently displays three major themes: Yellow River hydraulic culture as an essential part of Chinese civilization, Hetao hydraulic culture as the core of Hetao culture, and the “Main Canal” spirit as the heart of the spiritual homeland of the people of Hetao. The exhibits are arranged in three historical sections: the “Brilliant Yellow River Hydraulic Culture” section from the formation of the Yellow River to the late Qing Dynasty; the “Pioneering Hetao Irrigation District” section from the Qin and Han dynasties to the early years of the People’s Republic; and the “Enduring ‘Main Canal’ Spirit” section from the early years of the People’s Republic to the present. The museum displays 450 cultural relics, 120 sets of ancient texts, 259 charts, and 120 images of immovable cultural heritage sites.

4. Farming Civilization Viewing Area

The southern bank’s western section of the park includes a picking garden and a farming culture garden, covering about 180 acres in total. The picking garden features a root carving entrance gate, a harvest fruit basket, and a 100-meter green corridor, and grows early-ripening pear, crabapple, hawthorn, large apple, jujube, peach, apricot, plum, wild pear, and grape trees. The farming culture garden spans about 120 acres and includes micro-terrain features, an artificial lake with a central island, a stone pavilion landscape, and a collection of farming-themed sculptures.

5. Ecological Fishery Experience Area

On the northern bank of the Yellow River Wetland Park Tourist Area lies the park’s public restaurant — the Yellow River Fishing Village. Tranquil waterside corridors with winding paths are built on both the northern and southern banks. These structures blend the folk characteristics of Bayannur with the scenic and cultural advantages of southern Chinese gardens. Nestled within the tranquil natural pastoral scenery, a 220-meter-long walking corridor is constructed using bamboo and timber from southern China. Benches are placed under the corridor, while various types of green vines grow overhead. The area is lush with greenery, fragrant fruits, and vibrant leaves, offering breathtaking views that captivate visitors and make them reluctant to leave. Both architectural and landscape designs emphasize minimalist lines and leisure-friendly dimensions. The southern side of the Yellow River Fishing Village and the surrounding waterside corridors encircle a fishing area consisting of four ponds with a total area of 18,572.4 square meters, featuring a full variety of Yellow River fish species. Visitors can spend leisure time here with friends, enjoying the pleasure of fishing or chatting on the ground, instantly lifting their spirits and leaving work-related stress behind.

6. Ecological Leisure and Entertainment Area

The Ecological Leisure and Entertainment Area mainly includes sports facilities such as basketball courts, volleyball courts, senior gateball courts, bamboo willow mazes, and children’s playgrounds. It also features three tensioned membrane shaded rest areas, making it a paradise for sports enthusiasts.

7. Water Activity Entertainment Area

This area primarily consists of docks and cruise boats, transforming the Main Canal into a golden waterway for touring all of Bayannur. Visitors can take boat cruises to explore the region, learn about hydraulic culture and local ethnic customs, and experience the unique charm of the Hetao area up close.

After the 2013 construction phase, the seven functional areas — the Mongol-Yuan Culture Exhibition Area, Urban Culture Leisure Area, Yellow River Culture Exhibition Area, Farming Civilization Viewing Area, Ecological Fishery Experience Area, Ecological Leisure and Entertainment Area, and Water Activity Entertainment Area — were completed, and the scenic area was essentially fully developed.

The construction of Inner Mongolia’s Linhe Yellow River National Wetland Park serves as a model for the protection, restoration, and utilization of wetlands in Bayannur and across the Yellow River basin, providing a reference for future national wetland park development in the Yellow River basin.

Due to the unique geographical location of Inner Mongolia’s Linhe Yellow River National Wetland Park, its construction plays a significant role in desertification prevention and control in the Hetao region, reducing Yellow River water levels during flood seasons, preventing soil erosion on the riverbanks, mitigating or eliminating risks to the Yellow River flood control embankments, rapidly restoring Yellow River wetland functions, and conserving water resources.

The protection of Inner Mongolia’s Linhe Yellow River Wetland is not only crucial for the development of the basin itself, ethnic unity, and social stability, but also holds great significance for achieving sustainable economic and social development in Inner Mongolia, benefiting all ethnic groups, consolidating the northwestern frontier, and realizing the strategic goal of building a vital green ecological barrier for desertification prevention and control in northern China.

The development and protection of Inner Mongolia’s Linhe Yellow River Wetland will enrich the cultural connotations and extensions of Yellow River culture and grassland culture, fostering harmonious coexistence between humans and nature. The Linhe Yellow River Wetland will become a harmonious home for humans and nature along the Yellow River, and its development will mark another milestone for the people of Bayannur in transforming nature, protecting ecology, and building a harmonious society.

Source: Linhe District Tourism Bureau