Mengda Nature Reserve

　　Mengda Nature Reserve is a national nature reserve approved by the State Council. It is located in the Mengda Mountain area of Xunhua County, at the eastern end of the Xiqing Mountain Range within the autonomous county and on the southern bank of the Jishi Gorge of the Yellow River. The mountainous region belongs to the Dangrui Mountain–Wutai Mountain area and lies precisely at the transitional zone between the northeastern edge of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau and the Loess Plateau of Longnan. The mountains generally run from north to south. With a total area of 17,290 hectares, the elevation ranges between 1,780 and 3,356 meters. It is a pristine natural forested area characterized by high mountains, deep valleys, tall trees, dense forests, abundant plant species, and beautiful scenery. In the middle section of Muchangou Valley at an altitude of 2,504 meters lies a unique, captivating, and long-renowned “Pearl of the Plateau”—the Mengda Tianchi (Heavenly Lake). The reserve is often hailed as the “Xishuangbanna of the Plateau.”

　　Thanks to its unique natural geographical conditions, relatively mild and moist climate, and suitable soil, the reserve boasts a rich diversity of plant species and complex composition. According to a preliminary survey in 1982, the reserve hosts 90 families of higher plants, accounting for 80% of the province’s total; 296 genera, making up 65% of the provincial total; and 517 species, representing 20% of those found in the entire province. The reserve is also a natural botanical garden, containing 77 families and 326 species of medicinal plants (including 44 families and 81 species listed in the National Pharmacopoeia). The area features complex terrain, dense forests, abundant plant species, a suitable climate, as well as remote location, limited transportation, and sparse population—all of which provide optimal conditions for the reproduction and survival of wildlife. There are currently 7 species of mammals across 5 families in 3 orders, and 68 species of birds belonging to 19 families in 8 orders.