An aerial view of the Zhejiang Qingliangfeng National Nature Reserve in Hangzhou. [Photo/Hangzhou Daily]

Zhejiang Qingliangfeng National Nature Reserve in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, has been added to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas, earning international recognition for its conservation and management practices.

The announcement was made at the IUCN Green List certification ceremony during the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17), held in Yerevan, Armenia, from Oct 19 to 30. Qingliangfeng is the second site in Zhejiang and the first in Hangzhou to receive the designation, following Qianjiangyuan.

The IUCN Green List, also known as the world's best-managed protected areas, evaluates sites in four areas: governance, planning and design, effective management, and conservation outcomes. This year's additions include 25 protected areas across seven countries, bringing the global total to 112 sites in 23 countries.

Located in western Lin'an district, Qingliangfeng covers 11,252 hectares and serves as a key habitat and gene pool for biodiversity in the Yangtze River Delta region. The reserve has recorded 2,463 higher plant species, 386 vertebrate species, and 2,744 insect species, including more than 120 nationally protected wild plant and animal species.

The recognition highlights Hangzhou's ongoing efforts to protect biodiversity and strengthen ecological conservation.