Zhouzhi Laocheng nature reserve, Shaanxi Province

Zhouzhi Laocheng nature reserve, Shaanxi Province

Zhouzhi Laocheng nature reserve, Shaanxi Province, aims to protect the wild animals and their habitats dominated by giant pandas, and maintain biodiversity and ecosystem integrity. With a total area of 12611 hectares, the terrain is high in the southeast and low in the northwest, with an altitude of 1524 (Qinglongzhai) - 2904 meters (lubanfeng).

geographical position

The reserve is located in the upper reaches of the Feishui River on the south slope of the middle Qinling Mountains, with a geographical location between 107 ° 40 ′ - 107 ° 49 ′ E and 33 ° 43 ′ - 33 ° 50 ′ n. It is bounded by qinlingliang in the East and connected with Zhouzhi National Nature Reserve, caishenling in the South and Foping National Nature Reserve, huangbaiyuan Provincial Nature Reserve and Taibaishan National Nature Reserve in the west, Qinling watershed in the north and houwanzi Forest Farm Giant Panda Corridor in the north.

Creating history

From March to may, 1974, according to the spirit of the minutes of the 1973 National Symposium on the protection and investigation of precious animal resources in key provinces, cities and autonomous regions, Shaanxi agriculture and Forestry Bureau arranged to carry out the investigation of precious animal resources in Yangxian, Foping, Ningshan, Taibai and Zhouzhi counties. Professor Chen Fuguan of Northwest University found a large number of traces of giant panda activities in the old county, and initially determined that the old county is a concentrated distribution area of giant pandas. In 1983, a giant panda patrol team was set up in houwanzi forest farm, with full-time personnel responsible for the protection and management of giant pandas in the old county. In order to improve the giant panda habitat environment, stabilize and develop the giant panda population, the State Planning Commission approved the master plan for the protection of giant panda and its habitat project on June 29, 1992, and the provincial government submitted the letter on submitting the implementation plan for the protection of giant panda and its habitat project in our province on June 31, 1993, and decided to establish the "Zhouzhi old county Giant Panda Nature Reserve" ”。 In June of the same year, zhouzheng Fazi No. 76 document of the county government submitted the "report of Zhouzhi County People's Government on the establishment of a giant panda reserve separately", which planned to establish a giant panda reserve in the forest area of the old county of houwanzi forest farm. On July 10, 1993, the general office of Xi'an Municipal People's government issued the reply letter of the general office of Xi'an Municipal People's Government on Approving the establishment of the giant panda reserve in Zhouzhi old county, officially approving the establishment of the giant panda reserve in the old county. On August 31 of the same year, the editorial board member of Zhouzhi County approved the establishment of "Zhouzhi old county Nature Reserve Management Office" in Document No. 006. In 2004, the old county Nature Reserve was promoted to provincial level.

natural environment

From low to high, the reserve is divided into deciduous oak forest belt, birch forest belt and coniferous forest belt. Due to the influence of human activities in history, the areas below 2000 meters above sea level are all secondary vegetation, while the areas above 2200 meters above sea level are basically preserved, providing an ideal habitat for wild animals such as giant pandas.

plant resources

There are 80 species of pteridophytes belonging to 20 families and 40 genera, 1158 species of seed plants belonging to 112 families and 468 genera. There are 9 national key protected wild plants and 13 local key protected wild plants in Shaanxi Province. Among them, Taxus chinensis and monocotyledon are the first class protected plants. There are 319 kinds of medicinal plants, 232 kinds of ornamental plants, 136 kinds of oil and aromatic plants, 43 kinds of fiber plants, 77 kinds of starch and sugar plants, and 100 kinds of tannin plants. Fargesia Qinling, the staple food of giant panda, is distributed in the whole area, but it is only distributed near the valley and stream below 2000 meters above sea level, with a small number and poor growth. The mature forests are mainly distributed in the area above 2300 meters above sea level, with small area and good growth, providing sufficient food for giant pandas.

Animal resources

There are 263 species of wild vertebrates in the reserve, including 50 species of mammals, 188 species of birds, 15 species of reptiles, 5 species of amphibians and 5 species of fish. There are 31 species of wildlife under state key protection, including 6 species of rare and endangered wildlife under class I protection, such as giant panda, golden monkey, takin, leopard, forest musk deer and golden eagle, and 25 species under class II protection, such as black bear, jackal and golden cat. Giant pandas are mainly distributed in the coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forest in the middle mountain area of the nature reserve at an altitude of 2200-2600m. More concentrated in the thar River, zhengnangou, Zhenghe, Dagou, guangtoushan, ruanquangou, Yangjiagou, diaogou and other areas. According to the third national survey of giant pandas in 2001, the population of this area is between 35 and 40, accounting for about 12% of the population of giant pandas in Qinling Mountains. The distribution density of giant pandas in the core area reaches 0.48 per square kilometer, ranking first in China.

Snub nosed monkeys are mainly distributed in the vertical zone of 1750-2800 meters above sea level. The habitat includes deciduous broad-leaved forest and coniferous broad-leaved mixed forest. The constructive tree species are Pinus armandii, Pinus tabulaeformis, Abies faxoniana, Quercus liaotungensis, Populus platyphylla, Betula platyphylla and Betula luminifera. There are about two groups in this area, with a total of more than 110, of which about 65 are distributed in the thar River, Zhenghe River, zhengnangou and Dagou, and about 46 are distributed in ruanquangou, Yangjiagou and diaogou.

Takin is the largest number of rare animals in the reserve, with an estimated population of at least 150. It inhabits along the main ridge of the Qinling Mountains in the middle mountain or subalpine areas with an altitude of more than 2200 meters. Fir forest is the plant index of its distribution height, and the feeding height is generally between 1700 and 2600 meters above sea level.

Geographical advantages

Shaanxi Zhouzhi Laocheng nature reserve is located in the center of Qinling Mountain Nature Reserve group. It can connect Taibai Mountain, huangbaiyuan, Foping, Changqing, Zhouzhi and other nature reserves, and connect several island and patchy giant panda habitats. It plays an important bridge and link for gene exchange and population rejuvenation of Qinling vertebrate population, especially giant panda population effect. The complex habitat conditions, complete mountain forest ecosystem and rich biodiversity in the area are not only the research and teaching practice base for biological resources, forest ecology, natural geography, geology, geomorphology, hydrology, meteorology, forest soil and other disciplines, but also the classroom and natural laboratory for popularizing natural science knowledge and environmental education.

natural landscape

The old county reserve has rich and colorful natural landscape. There are abundant plant species and obvious seasonal changes. Dense forest, ancient and famous trees, exotic flowers and rare plants constitute a colorful plant landscape. Small mammals and birds are frequently found in the area. It can be seen that the takin is playing in the grassland, the giant panda is foraging in the bamboo forest, the golden monkey is playing in the jungle, and the birds are singing in the branches, forming an animal landscape of "mountains, forests, birds and animals are busy". The old county is located in an Intermountain basin about 5km long and 0.8km wide, touguan mountain 2km south of the city, lubanfeng mountain in the east of the city, Yaowang cave in Qinling ridge in the north of the city, karst cave in Ruan Quangou, jade and stone in Zhenghe River, etc. The 20 km long Gushui river flows from east to west, and the Lingquan, liuzequan, jiangjunquan, Yangsi, and Qinglongzhai "small water curtain" in the south of the city form a beautiful water landscape.

places of historic figures and cultural heritage

Due to the prosperity of the county from the Qing Dynasty to the early Republic of China, it left a rich cultural landscape. In 1825, the Foping hall was set up in the old town. In 1913, it was changed into a county. In 1926, Wu Qichang, the governor of Foping County, moved Foping county from the old county (foyeping) to yuanjiazhuang. Over the past hundred years, this is the Foping political, economic and cultural center. It is also the transportation hub of Changan to Hanzhoung. The North South material exchange center has left many ruins: the ancient city wall, the Department, the Department of justice, Confucious'temple, Town God's Temple, Sansheng temple, Ling Quan, connecting official Pavilion, stone inscription, and so on, are all famous cultural landscapes.

Address: houwanzi Town, Zhouzhi County, Shaanxi Province

Longitude: 107.84413695116

Latitude: 33.86119635287

Chinese PinYin : Shan Xi Zhou Zhi Lao Xian Cheng Zi Ran Bao Hu Qu