Representatives from the National People's Congress and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference members of Yunnan have introduced proposals concerning Ai Lao Mountain Nature Reserve's application to enter the National Park list.

Yunnan's Provincial Department of Forestry organized a meeting on July 10, which expressed their support for the proposal and officials also gave guidance on the application process.

Ai Lao Mountain is in the center of Yunnan province, and covers an area of 677 million square meters. It is on the boundary of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and the Hengduan Mountains.

Ai Lao Mountain has the biggest evergreen latifoliate forests in China with 1,486 species of advanced plants, including 24 species of national key protected wild plants. It also has 474 species of wild animals, including the first-class national protected species of black gibbon and clouded leopard.

Ai Lao Mountain, Yunnan province [Photo/Yunnan Provincial Tourism Administration]

By Ge Jieru and edited by Brian Salter