The Chinese government is planning to create a huge new national park in the area where the country’s three largest rivers, the Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang (Mekong), all originate.

Xinhua reports that plans for the park have already been drawn up State Forestry Administration, and if approved, could be implemented by the end of this year.

The park will cover more than 30,000km² in the Sanjiangyuan region of western China’s Qinghai province, making it approximately the same size as Belgium. It would include the three rivers’ sources in Madoi, Zhidoi and Zadoi counties.

“Sanjiangyuan boasts a highland ecosystem comprising glaciers, meadows and wetlands. It’s not common in China, even Asia, and has extremely high scientific value,” Wang Enguang, chief engineer with Qinghai’s forestry department, told the Chinese news agency. He added that the area is home to more than 70 protected animal species.

Environment degradation in the Sanjiangyuan region has been blamed for declining water flows in the Yangtze, Yellow and Mekong rivers.

Source from <Travel Daily Asia>