The Zhouzhi National Nature Reserve in northwest China's Shaanxi Province was officially approved for inclusion in UNESCO's World Biosphere Reserve Network on Saturday during a UN conference held in east China's Hangzhou City.
The designation marks the first time a protected area on the northern slopes of the Qinling Mountains has received such international recognition.
Spanning 690 square kilometers on both the northern and southern slopes of the Qinling Range, the Zhouzhi reserve is 96 percent forested and rises to 2,904 meters above sea level. Its striking vertical vegetation zones shelter more than 3,630 species of wild flora and fauna, including the Qinling giant pandas, golden snub-nosed monkeys, and golden takins.
"This is a tremendous achievement for the Zhouzhi reserve. We hope that, with this honor, it will fulfill the core concept of the Man and the Biosphere Program by performing its three key functions: conservation, support, and sustainable development," said Wang Ding, secretary general of the Chinese National Committee for Man and the Biosphere Program.
During the 37th Session of the International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere Program held in Hangzhou, UNESCO announced the designation of 26 new biosphere reserves in 21 countries, including two in China, bringing the world network of biosphere reserves to 785 sites across 142 countries.
Along with Zhouzhi reserve, the other Chinese site designated is Daqingshan Biosphere Reserve in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Covering nearly 3,900 square kilometers in the central Yinshan Mountains, Daqingshan is the richest biodiversity hotspot in the region. The reserve is home to nearly 1,200 higher plant species, 300 vertebrate species, and 1,800 arthropod species.
UNESCO describes biosphere reserves as "learning places for sustainable development" that integrate biodiversity conservation with sustainable use of ecosystems.
China's Zhouzhi reserve in Qinling Mountains joins UNESCO world biosphere network
