At the end of December last year, a cold winter enveloped Wuyishan, a county-level city in Fujian province.
Two hours from the city center, the road that cuts through thick, lush forest leads to the Xianfengling peak (Xianfeng Ridge) of Mount Wuyi, where an imposing fault zone cuts a trench amid a plethora of mountain trees.
“This is part of the fault that surrounds the region for 1,200 kilometers, from Jiangxi province to Guangdong province
,” says Xu Zikun, police chief of Wuyishan National Park.
“The V-shaped zone is the result of a frontal collision between the Pacific plate and the Eurasian plate followed by compression… and we are in the northern and central part of this zone, where the strata are relatively stable,
” he continues.
Xianfengling Peak rises to 1,200 meters above sea level, in a forested hinterland, where the temperature is much lower than in the city, making the air more bitter.
Tourists climbing from Tianyou Peak to Mount Wuyi.
PENG SHAN'AN / FOR CHINA DAILY
On the other hand, we discover a bird's eye view of Mount Wuyi, which has been listed as a UNESCO world heritage site since 1999 due to the values it represents in terms of culture, landscapes and biodiversity.
"The forest we see here, which is characterized by a mixture of pine and deciduous trees, is considered a mixed coniferous and deciduous forest
," Xu said.
The complexity of the landscape, a mild and humid climate, well-preserved vegetation and limited accessibility have all contributed to a rare human presence, making it ideal for biodiversity.
“The biodiversity in the region is extremely rich, with around 3,000 species of higher plants and more than 840 species of lower plants
,” says Mr. Xu.
Which consequently favors the presence of more than 7,000 animal species, notably insects and mammals.
The place is notoriously considered a haven for birds, he adds.
Chen Shuiwang, a local villager hired as a forest ranger in the Xianfengling area, said he has seen a marked improvement in biodiversity over the past decade.
“I rarely saw a few birds, but now it seems quite common,”
comments Mr. Chen who, every day, walks 6 km through the forest to ensure his safety. .
Detecting fire and intruder risks is an important part of his work.
Visitors photographing frosted trees on Huanggangshan, the highest peak of Mount Wuyi.
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About 40 minutes' drive away, Tongmuguan (Tongmu Pass) presents a new challenge to travelers' cold resistance threshold.
The pass separates the provinces of Fujian and Jiangxi.
At the checkpoint, water kept in buckets is covered in a thick layer of ice and tap water is sometimes completely frozen.
Li Hong, responsible for the pass, must break the ice and turn on the tap before going out to do his checks.
Normally, the cold period continues until mid-February.
Tongmuguan is one of the highest checkpoints in Fujian.
It plays a key role in carrying out crucial ecological protection tasks, such as preventing wildfires and preserving resources.
Mr. Li and several of his colleagues have to take turns every 24 hours and often face freezing cold outside.
With each sound of the horn, the personnel on duty at the checkpoint, braving the biting north wind, signal passing vehicles to stop for inspection and verification.
"We need to check that they are not carrying contraband items, such as wood and wildlife
," Li said.
In addition to guarding the pass, he and his colleagues must roam and monitor the surrounding forest.
“When we come across hikers entering restricted areas, we must immediately intervene and persuade them to turn back
,” he informs.
In the case of hikers suffering from cold bites or injuries, the post staff must provide first aid.
Although working in the deep forest cavities is arduous, Li says it's sometimes helping endangered animals that provides the best reward.
A “
Lophura nycthemera”
(silver pheasant).
HUANG HAI / FOR CHINA DAILY
According to local authorities, the nature reserve has not suffered any fires or acts of poaching over the past four decades.
A 90-minute drive toward the city center, Wuyishan National Park's intelligent management center tracks tourist entry and exit, hydrological and atmospheric conditions, and river movements in real time. patrol and protection personnel.
“This enables dynamic supervision of resource protection, relief management and environmental capacity alerts at the national park
,” said Fan Zhiwei, a park staff member.
Technology-assisted protection has led to a steady improvement in local environmental quality, which attracts many bird watchers as well as biological researchers.
Wen Gengyin still remembers his trip to Xianfengling last May.
He took photos of a number of rare birds there.
“This was my second time visiting Mount Wuyi
,” Mr. Wen said.
“I was impressed by the green mountains, the clear water and all kinds of birds and insects here during my first visit a few years ago
. ”