International Authoritative Certification! Sichuan Panzhihua Cycad National Nature Reserve has been included in IUCN Green List!

Recently, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has officially released the latest Green List of protected areas, and Sichuan Panzhihua Cycad National Nature Reserve has successfully been included. This marks that the Reserve has obtained international authoritative certification in ecological governance, protection measures and management models.

As the gold standard in the field of global nature reserves, IUCN Green List is the authoritative benchmark for measuring the conservation effectiveness, management efficiency, and sustainable development capacities of protected areas. The inclusion of Sichuan Panzhihua Cycad National Nature Reserve signifies that it has passed the highest international standards in terms of scientific ecological governance, effectiveness of conservation measures, and innovation in management approaches.

Established in 1983, Sichuan Panzhihua Cycad National Nature Reserve was exceptionally promoted to national nature reserve status in 1996. Covering 1,358.3 hectares, it is a wild plant-type nature reserve primarily aimed at protecting the rare and endangered plant species, Cycas panzhihuaensis and its ecosystem. It is currently China's only national nature reserve with cycads as its main conservation focus.

The Reserve is home to 389,200 wild Cycas panzhihuaensises, forming the northernmost, highest-altitude, largest-area, most numerous and most concentrated natural cycad population in Eurasia. Located in the dry-hot valley of the Jinsha River, the Reserve boasts rich biodiversity, including 519 species of vascular plants (divided into 361 genera in 109 families), 235 species of vertebrates (divided in to 77 families in 22 orders), 388 species of invertebrates (divided into 109 families in 12 orders of insecta), and 60 species of macrofungi, making it a natural species gene bank.

Inclusion in the IUCN Green List this time is a major international honor for Panzhihua City in the field of biodiversity conservation, vividly demonstrating the achievements of Panzhihua's ecological civilization construction and marking a historic breakthrough. (Source: Sichuan Panzhihua Cycad National Nature Reserve)

Translated by: Zhang Feng from Jinan University

Reviewed by: Mao Min from Beijing Yooyi Culture and Media Com., Ltd.