Micang Mountain Nature Reserve

　　The Sichuan Micang Mountain Nature Reserve is situated on the southern slope of the western section of the Micang Mountain–Daba Mountain range, in the northeastern part of Wangcang County, Guangyuan City, Sichuan Province, at the headwaters of the Donghe River, a tributary of the Jialing River. Its geographical coordinates are between 32°29′–32°41′ north latitude and 106°24′–106°39′ east longitude. Administratively, it includes four villages—Gucheng, Jinzhu, Yuejin, and Guankou—in the northern part of Gucheng Township, as well as two villages—Baiyang and Dianping—in Mengzi Township. The total area is 23,400 hectares.

　　The reserve’s boundaries are as follows: Eastern boundary: Following the county line, starting from Oujiaping in the north and tracing the upper reaches of Liaolin Valley southward to the county line, adjacent to Nanjiang County.

　　Northern boundary: Following the provincial border, starting from Oujiaping Chengyan in the east, extending westward through the main peak of Chengqiangyan (elevation 2,281 m) and an unnamed peak (elevation 2,226 m), then turning northwest to Guanniu Cave, following Changtan River southwestward, crossing the watershed westward to Daba Kou. This marks the boundary with Ningqiang County, Shaanxi Province.

　　Northwest boundary: From Daba Kou westward, along the southern edge of Jiangjiaba, then northward along the northern side of Lishupian to the northwest of Dahongyan, then westward to an unnamed mountain at elevation 2,103.7 m, then turning southeast through Taziwang to reach a mountain peak at elevation 2,021 m. This also forms the boundary with Ningqiang County, Shaanxi Province. Southern boundary: Starting from Guangtoushan, extending northeastward along the southern branch of Longshen Valley, passing through Shipanyan—Zhuangfangyan—Shirenshan to the middle reaches of Dongzi Valley, a tributary of Kuantan River, then following Dongzi Valley southward, crossing Kuantan River, proceeding southeast through Wangjiahe—Zhangjiawan—Yanba—Yanjiawan—Tangjiaya—Songbaozhai (elevation 1,901 m)—Muchangping—Dayinpo to the upper reaches of Yuexi River at Huangjin Gorge, then turning southwest over Wangjia Liangzi to Zhichangou, then turning southeast, tracing Zhichangou and Liaolin Valley back to the county line, connecting with the southern end of the eastern boundary.

　　The Sichuan Micang Mountain Nature Reserve was renamed from the former Guchengshan Nature Reserve. In 1997, to protect the natural ecological environment of Wangcang County, the Wangcang County People’s Government decided to designate the undeveloped Guchengshan State-owned Forest Farm, state-owned forests of Wangcang County State-owned Forest Farm, and some well-preserved collective forests in Mengzi Township and Gucheng Township as a nature reserve. In February 1999, the Sichuan Provincial People’s Government, via Document No. Chuanfu Han (1999) 2 “Notice of the Sichuan Provincial People’s Government on Designating 16 Nature Reserves Including Danba Moduo Mountain as Provincial Nature Reserves,” approved Guchengshan Nature Reserve as a provincial-level nature reserve. On August 16, 2002, the Sichuan Provincial People’s Government, via Document No. Chuanfu Han (2002) 235 “Reply of the Sichuan Provincial People’s Government Approving the Renaming of Sichuan Guchengshan Nature Reserve to Sichuan Micang Mountain Nature Reserve,” renamed the Sichuan Guchengshan Nature Reserve to the Sichuan Micang Mountain Nature Reserve.

　　The Sichuan Micang Mountain Nature Reserve hosts 2,597 species of vascular plants, belonging to 949 genera and 195 families, including 213 species of ferns (75 genera, 32 families), 43 species of gymnosperms (21 genera, 8 families), and 2,341 species of angiosperms (853 genera, 155 families). These plant families account for 55.24% of China’s total plant families, genera for 29.86%, and species for 9.57%.

　　According to statistics, the reserve contains over 100 species listed in the China Plant Red Data Book, the first batch of National Key Protected Plants, the China Key Wild Plant List drafted by the State Forestry Administration and Ministry of Agriculture in 1997, and the first batch of the National Key Protected Wild Plant List published by the State Council on August 4, 1999 (non-redundant count), accounting for approximately 4.62% of the reserve’s vascular plants. Among them, the first batch of the 1999 State Council list includes four National Class I protected wild plants: Taxus chinensis, Pseudotaxus chienii, Ginkgo biloba, and Kingdonia uniflora, as well as ten National Class II protected wild plants such as Fagus hayatae, Torreya fargesii, and Emmenopterys henryi, making up 5.09% of the protected plants. Due to the reserve’s unique location, these plants enjoy stable habitats and thrive well. The discovery of large areas of Fagus species has drawn significant attention from Sichuan’s botanical and wildlife conservation sectors. The reserve also boasts abundant traditional Chinese medicinal resources, with directly usable medicinal plants including Codonopsis pilosula, Codonopsis lanceolata, Gastrodia elata, Platycodon grandiflorus, Bupleurum chinense, Pinellia ternata, Eucommia ulmoides, Phellodendron chinense, Schisandra chinensis, Schisandra sphenanthera, Epimedium spp., among others; and medicinal plant sources for new drug production such as Huperzia serrata and Dysosma versipellis.

　　The reserve’s unique topography and superior natural habitat conditions, along with its vast expanse of well-preserved primary forests, provide an excellent living environment for wildlife, nurturing rich fauna resources. Statistics show that the reserve is home to 70 fish species (51 genera, 13 families, 6 orders), accounting for 28.69% of Sichuan’s fish species; 32 amphibian species (18 genera, 9 families, 2 orders), 28.83% of the province’s total; 31 reptile species (20 genera, 8 families, 2 orders), 36.90% of the province’s total; 241 bird species (173 genera, 93 families, 17 orders), 39.19% of the province’s total—with a high proportion of China-endemic birds, making up 14.29% of the national endemic bird count; and 88 mammal species (67 genera, 24 families, 7 orders), 40.37% of the province’s total. In total, there are 462 vertebrate species (329 genera, 147 families, 34 orders).

　　Among the 462 vertebrate species in the reserve, five are Class I nationally protected wild animals: leopard, clouded leopard, forest musk deer, takin, and golden eagle; 39 are Class II protected wild animals, including Chinese giant salamander, dhole, Lady Amherst’s pheasant, and Tibetan macaque; and 161 are beneficial or economically and scientifically valuable species under state protection, such as tufted deer and leopard cat. Species like rhesus macaque, Chinese giant salamander, and black bear are relatively common in the reserve. The nationally protected wild animals found here account for 29.93% of those distributed across Sichuan. Among these, the discovery of the takin is particularly significant. The Micang Mountain Nature Reserve boasts abundant natural and cultural tourism resources. Natural landscape resources are especially prominent in geological features—geological landscapes, mountain views, cave scenes, gorges, and cliffs. The boundary between magmatic rocks and Paleozoic strata from Liujiayan to Guankouya is distinct, serving as an important marker for studying the geological evolution of Micang Mountain. The East and West Gucheng Mountains, standing in the northeast of the reserve, resemble two giant drums, with striking imagery and massive scale, rare even among karst mountain landscapes globally, making them iconic features of the reserve. Additionally, caves with diverse sceneries, cliffs whose colors change with seasons, picturesque gorges, river views, waterfalls, and diverse biological landscapes enrich the natural assets, while ancient ruins, historic post roads, and uniquely styled vernacular dwellings offer a wealth of cultural landscapes. These serve not only for ecological, sightseeing, and leisure tourism but also for scientific research and public education. The high aesthetic value of these landscapes makes the reserve suitable for various types of ecotourism.