Sanjiangyuan, meaning “Source of Three Rivers,” is a vast region on China’s high-altitude Tibetan Plateau. Located in Qinghai province, it covers approximately 363,000 square kilometers with an average elevation exceeding 4,000 meters. Its landscape transitions from montane forests in the east to alpine grasslands and cold deserts in the west.
The Water Tower of Asia
The region’s global significance stems from its role as the headwaters for the Yangtze, Yellow, and Lancang rivers. The Lancang is known as the Mekong beyond China’s borders, and these rivers are lifelines for an estimated 700 million people across China and Southeast Asia.
This system has earned Sanjiangyuan the title of “Asia’s Water Tower.” The area provides an estimated 49% of the Yellow River’s total water flow, 25% of the Yangtze’s, and 15% of the Lancang’s. Annually, it delivers over 60 billion cubic meters of high-quality freshwater downstream, supporting the agricultural, industrial, and domestic water security for nations far from the plateau.
The formation of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau influenced the wider region’s geography and climate. This geological uplift helped create the conditions that prevent desertification in southeastern China. It also contributed to the formation of the large river systems that depend on its glacial meltwater and precipitation.
A High-Altitude Biodiversity Hotspot
Sanjiangyuan’s environment supports a high concentration of biodiversity, earning it the nickname “wildlife kingdom on the plateau.” Its landscape of alpine wetlands, grasslands, and fragile ecosystems provides habitats for species adapted to these conditions. The region is home to 832 species of seed plants and 310 species of wild animals, many of which are unique to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.
This area is a sanctuary for rare animals like the snow leopard, hosting one of the densest populations in the world. Other inhabitants include the Tibetan antelope, which undertakes long migrations to give birth in the remote Hoh Xil area. Wild yak and Tibetan wild ass also roam its grasslands, alongside predators such as the Tibetan wolf.
The region’s wetlands and lakes are important for birdlife. The Longbaotan National Nature Reserve within Sanjiangyuan is a breeding area for the black-necked crane, a species under first-class national protection in China. Due to conservation efforts, the number of bird species recorded there has increased from 30 to 138, and the bar-headed geese population can exceed 10,000.
Creation of the Sanjiangyuan National Park
In response to environmental pressures, the Chinese government established Sanjiangyuan National Park. The process began with a nature reserve in 2000, followed by a pilot program in 2015 that selected Sanjiangyuan as the first park in a new national system. The park was officially designated in October 2021.
Covering 190,700 square kilometers, Sanjiangyuan is China’s largest national park. Its establishment represents a centralized approach to conservation, uniting previously fragmented protected areas under a single authority.
The management plan divides the landscape into zones with varying levels of protection. Core conservation zones prohibit activities like grazing to allow habitats to recover. Other areas permit limited traditional activities under careful monitoring, a system that aims to balance conservation with the needs of local communities.
Conservation Challenges and the Human Element
The Sanjiangyuan region faces environmental threats from climate change and historical human activities. Rising temperatures are causing glaciers to shrink and snow to melt at an accelerated rate, impacting river runoff. Past issues like overgrazing and poorly managed mining have also contributed to grassland degradation and desertification.
A component of the conservation strategy addresses human impact through “ecological migration,” a policy that resettled tens of thousands of nomadic herders from core conservation areas to new towns. This program was intended to reduce pressure on the grasslands by removing livestock. The resettlement has presented challenges for migrants, who face difficulties adapting to new lifestyles and finding employment.
To integrate the local population into conservation, more than 20,000 herders have been employed as park rangers. They are tasked with patrolling the landscape, monitoring wildlife, and reporting on environmental conditions. This approach aims to provide local communities with a stake in the park’s success by making them active participants in protecting their ancestral lands.