Why is it Green Listed?

Wuyishan National Park spans across Jiangxi and Fujian provinces, with a total area of 1,280 square kilometers. The Jiangxi area is located on the northwest slope of the northern part of the Wuyi Mountains, with an area of 279 square kilometers, accounting for 21.8% of the total area of the Wuyi Mountain National Park, of which 126 square kilometers are the core protection area and 153 square kilometers are the general control area. There are 2,862 species of higher plants, 581 species of vertebrates and 1,620 species of invertebrates identified in the Jiangxi area, among which the black muntjac, the yellow-bellied pheasant and the southern hemlock are known as the “three treasures of Huanggang”. As an important part of Wuyi Mountain National Park, Jiangxi Area accounts for 1.7‰ of the land area of Jiangxi Province, preserves 45.1% of the higher plants and 57.7% of the genes of wild vertebrates in Jiangxi Province, and together with Fujian Area, it forms the world’s most typical, largest, and best-preserved native forest ecosystems of the central subtropical zone at the same latitude.

Photo Credit – Ko Hon Chiu Vincent

Key Achievements

Conservation

After years of protection, Wuyishan National Park (Jiangxi Area) has achieved remarkable results. The forest ecosystem has been effectively protected, and the main protected object populations (communities) are undergoing positive succession.

• The forest coverage rate has increased from 96.3% in the protected area to 98.4% at present.
• The population of the flagship species Tragopan caboti has increased from 400 to about 700, and the altitude range of its habitat has expanded from 690 – 2152 meters to 415 – 2152 meters. 
• The species diversity has increased, with 9 new species discovered, 1 genus and 10 species newly recorded in Jiangxi Province, and 5 families, 1 genus and 36 species newly recorded in the Jiangxi Area.

Good governance

Wuyishan National Park is divided into a core protected area and a general control area according to the functions of the ecosystem, protection goals, and utilization value, and implements overall protection, zonal control, and differentiated management.

• The “Regulations on Jiangxi Wuyishan National Park” has been formulated and issued, clarifying the protection and management requirements, providing a solid institutional guarantee for the protection, construction, and management of Wuyishan National Park. 
• A joint conference mechanism of the Wuyishan National Park Bureau at the provincial level, with the provincial governor as the chief convener, has been established to promote the protection and development of Wuyishan National Park at a high level.
• The management agency, together with the local and surrounding cities, counties, towns, and relevant departments, has established a Joint Protection Committee to form a joint protection force to jointly protect the natural resources, cultural resources, and ecological environment of Wuyishan National Park and its surrounding areas, promote the sustainable development of the regional economy and society, and achieve harmonious coexistence between humans and nature.

Community benefits

Wuyishan National Park (Jiangxi Area) adheres to the concept of ecological priority and green development, and encourages and supports the surrounding communities to develop green industries such as tea, moso bamboo, and homestays, achieving good social benefits.

• By raising the compensation standard for ecological public welfare forests, more than 3.7 million yuan in differentiated subsidy funds for public welfare forests has been obtained for the owners of forest rights, which has increased the enthusiasm of forest farmers to participate in protection.
• Relying on the ecological advantages and brand effect of the national park, the local development of the “Hehong Tea” industry is promoted. With the theme of “Mount Wuyi World Cultural and Natural Dual Heritage Site”, the story of “Hehong Tea” is well told, and the “tea product” is turned into “tea culture” to realize cultural value.
• Guide the surrounding communities to develop rural homestays, which has increased the income of residents. According to statistics, there are 58 “agritainment” in 3 surrounding natural villages, accounting for 68.2% of the total number of households.