Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve

The Sanjiangyuan Nature Reserve is a protected area in the southern Chinese province of Qinghai. It is the second largest protected area in the world and covers 152 300 square kilometers of land. On this vast area that is larger than England and Wales together, only about 200,000 people live. Three mighty rivers, the Yangtzekiang, the Yellow River and the Mekong originate in this region and are fed by the numerous wetlands. The reserve includes a total of 18 special protection areas ( Conservation Areas ), where a distinction is made between three types: (1) wetland protection zones, (2) Wildlife zones, and (3 ) bush and forest protection zones.

The area is home to many of the typical wildlife of the Tibetan highlands. Including about the Tibetan gazelle. It is also one of the few protected areas in which the white -lipped deer occurs. More endangered species of the sanctuary are the wild yak and Tibetan antelope.

Swell

• J Marc Foggin: Promoting Biodiversity Conservation and Community Development in the Sanjiangyuan region Proceedings of a conservation planning meeting, with Agreed priority action points http://www.plateauperspectives.org/downloads/Planning % 20meeting.pdf online PDF