During the Eco Forum Global Guiyang 2023, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) awarded the title of "World's Best Protected Areas" to 13 natural sites in China that have been included in the IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas. Among them, the Badagong Mountain National Nature Reserve and the Huping Mountain National Nature Reserve in Hunan received the certification.

Photo source: Chinanews

The Badagong Mountain National Nature Reserve is located in the northern border of Sangzhi County, Zhangjiajie City. It has jurisdiction over three major forest areas: Tianping Mountain, Shanmujie, and Doupeng Mountain. The natural reserve serves as the source of two rivers: the Lishui River in Hunan and the Qingjiang River in Hubei. It boasts a unique natural environment with diverse landforms and abundant wildlife and plant species. It is often recognized as a "natural museum," a "gene bank of species," and a "natural oxygen bar."

Photo source: Changde Daily

The Huping Mountain National Nature Reserve is located in Shimen County, Changde City, at the northeastern end of the Wuling Mountains. It is the largest forest ecosystem nature reserve in Hunan Province. The natural reserve has a forest coverage rate of 90.2% and a vegetation coverage rate of 98.7%. It is home to over 9,120 recorded species of flora and fauna. The natural reserve has ancient biota, rich biodiversity, rare and endangered species, and typical ecological systems. It is regarded as a valuable gene bank for precious species in central China and as a treasure endowed with the most complete species lineage in the same latitude zone of the Eurasian continent. It holds significant scientific research value and global importance. The natural reserve was listed as one of the 17 biodiversity key areas of global significance in China in 1998 and as one of the 200 globally important ecological regions in 2001.