Infographic-Areas for Biodiversity Conservation

According to China’s natural conditions, social and economic situation, and distribution of natural resources and major species under protection, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment divided the country into eight natural regions covering 35 priority areas for biodiversity conservation. The eight regions are:

 

Mountainous and Plain Region in Northeastern China

Scope: Liaoning, Jilin, and Heilongjiang provinces and part of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region

Total area: About 1.24 million square kilometers

Biodiversity conservation priority areas: Greater Khingan Mountains area, Lesser Khingan Mountains area, Hulun Buir area, Three Rivers Plain area, Changbai Mountains area, and Songnen Plain area

Rare species: Siberian tiger, Amur leopard, Korean pine, and Japanese yew

Xinjiang-Inner Mongolia Upland and Desert Region

Scope: Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and part of Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Gansu provinces as well as some areas of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region

Total area: About 2.69 million square kilometers

Biodiversity conservation priority areas:

Altai Mountain area, Tianshan Mountains area, southwestern edge of Junggar Basin, Tarim River Basin area, Qilian Mountains area, Kumtag Desert area, West Ordos-Helan Mountain-Yinshan

Mountain area, and Xilingol Grassland area

Rare species: Argali sheep, black stork, relict gull, Haloxylon ammodendron, and Euphrates poplar

Loess Plateau and North China Plain Region

Scope: Beijing, Tianjin, Shandong Province, and part of Hebei, Shanxi, Jiangsu, Anhui, Henan, Shaanxi, and Qinghai provinces, as well as part of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region

Total area: About 950,000 square kilometers

Biodiversity conservation priority areas: Liupanshan-Ziwuling area and Taihang Mountains area

Rare species: Brown-eared pheasant and other endemic pheasants, crane, wild duck, and stork

Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Alpine Region

Scope: Part of Sichuan and Qinghai provinces as well as part of Tibet Autonomous Region and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region

Total area: About 1.73 million square kilometers

Biodiversity conservation priority areas: Sanjiangyuan-Changtang area and southeastern mountainous area of the Himalayas

Rare species: Tibetan antelope, wild yak, Przewalski’s gazelle, naked carp, and caterpillar fungus

Southwestern Alpine Valley Region

Scope: Part of Sichuan and Yunnan povinces as well as some areas of Tibet Autonomous Region

Total area: About 650,000 square kilometers

Biodiversity conservation priority areas: Southern section of Hengduan Mountains and northern section of Minshan-Hengduan mountains area

Rare species: Giant panda, golden monkey, black musk deer, Chinese monal, Chinese yew, orchid, and matsutake

Mountainous and Hilly Region in Central, Southern and Western China 

Scope: Guizhou Province, some areas of Chongqing Municipality and Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Sichuan, Yunnan, Shaanxi, and Gansu provinces

Total area: About 910,000 square kilometers

Biodiversity conservation priority areas: Qinling Mountains area, Wuling Mountains area, Daba Mountains area, and the karst areas in western Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and southern Guizhou Province

Rare species: Crested ibis, Sago palm, and Chinese dove tree

Hilly and Plain Region in Eastern and Central China

Scope: Shanghai Municipality, Zhejiang and Jiangxi provinces, and some areas of Jiangsu, Anhui, Fujian, Henan, Hubei, Hunan and Guangdong provinces and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region

Total area: About 1.09 million square kilometers

Biodiversity conservation priority areas: Huangshan-Huaiyu mountains area, Dabie Mountains area, Wuyi Mountain area, Nanling Mountains area, Dongting Lake area, and Poyang Lake area

Rare species: Chinese sturgeon, Yangtze finless porpoise, red-crowned crane, and white crane

Hilly Areas of Low Mountains in Southern China

Scope: Hainan Province and some areas of Fujian, Guangdong, and Yunnan provinces and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region

Total area: About 340,000 square kilometers

Biodiversity conservation priority areas: Central and southern parts of Hainan Province, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, and southwestern mountainous area of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region

Rare species: Asian elephant, Hainan Eld’s deer, wild ox, Asian small-clawed otter, wild tea tree, and wild litchi

Source: National Biodiversity Conservation Strategy and Action Plan (2011-2030) issued by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China