Located in central-western Inner Mongolia along the central section of the Yinshan Mountains, the Daqingshan Biosphere Reserve covers an area roughly twice the size of Shenzhen. It was designated by UNESCO in 2025.

The reserve lies at the transition between the forests of North China and the grasslands of the Mongolian Plateau, serving as an important ecological corridor linking the flora and fauna of Northeast, North, and Northwest China. Forests, shrublands, and grasslands weave together to form a diverse mountain landscape.

The reserve focuses on conserving semi-arid mountain forest ecosystems characterized by edge-species communities. Situated where mountains, grasslands, and deserts meet, Daqingshan is highly sensitive to climate change, making it an important natural laboratory for studying global environmental change, ecosystem succession, and species adaptation.

To date, 1,249 species of vascular plants, 303 species of vertebrates, and 1,804 species of arthropods have been recorded in the reserve. Rare wildlife—including MiLu, Przewalski's horses, Steppe Eagles, black storks, and saker falcons—find refuge here. Each spring and autumn, large numbers of migratory birds travel along the Yinshan ecological corridor, making Daqingshan an important stopover on the East Asian–Australasian Flyway.

As a key ecological barrier at the top of the Yellow River's great bend, Daqingshan's mountain forest–grassland ecosystem conserves more than 2 billion cubic meters of water each year. It also plays a vital role in water conservation, soil retention, and combating wind erosion and desertification.

Beyond its remarkable biodiversity, Daqingshan is also rich in cultural heritage. For thousands of years, farming and nomadic cultures have met and flourished here. The famous ancient Chinese poem Song of Chile—with its lines, "Under the vast sky stretches the boundless steppe; when the wind bends the grass, herds of cattle and sheep appear"—captures the timeless beauty of this landscape.

From forests to grasslands, and from natural ecosystems to cultural heritage, Daqingshan is embracing its new role as a Biosphere Reserve—continuing its story of harmony between people and nature.