In this undated file photo, flamingos groom themselves at a wetland park in Chengdu of Sichuan province. (WU JICHENG / FOR CHINA DAILY)

Chengdu is internationally renowned as the home of giant pandas, but the iconic bears are not the only attraction the capital of Southwest China's Sichuan province has to offer.

A realm of biodiversity, Chengdu is home to 3,139 species of higher plants and 753 species of wild animals, including four species of plants under first-class national protection and 29 species of animals with the same designation. They include rare plants like the Chinese dove tree and Cystopteris chinensis fern, and animals such as the giant panda, golden monkey and Sichuan takin — a goat-antelope.

Chengdu's abundant forest resources and diverse alpine valleys provide flora and fauna with a sound living environment. Lush katsura trees under State protection grow in the Heishuihe Nature Reserve, while rare Chinese dove trees dot the Dujiangyan area of the Giant Panda National Park. Sichuan takin herds wander the Anzihe Nature Reserve, and Tibetan macaques — a member of the monkey family — inhabit Xiling Snow Mountain.

With an increase in biodiversity, Chengdu is taking concrete steps to advance management and protection. For protecting wildlife in its western mountainous areas, the city has established several nature reserves such as Longxi-Hongkou, Heishuihe, Anzihe, and Baishuihe to manage and protect different species and their habitats.

In this undated file photo, an overhead view of the renowned tea-producing Pujiang county in Chengdu that the city's greenways pass through. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

In 2021, the Giant Panda National Park was established, spanning three provinces of Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu. Since then, forests with a total area of 1,459 square kilometers have been placed under the jurisdiction of the park. With vegetation restored, residents relocated and public infrastructures built to leave room for wildlife, the area has been returned to its natural state.

Chengdu's abundant forest resources and diverse alpine valleys provide flora and fauna with a sound living environment. Lush katsura trees under State protection grow in the Heishuihe Nature Reserve, while rare Chinese dove trees dot the Dujiangyan area of the Giant Panda National Park

According to the fourth national bear survey, Chengdu is now home to 73 wild giant pandas, accounting for 4 percent of the country's total, while the city's population of artificially bred giant pandas has reached 237, accounting for 35 percent of the national total.

ALSO READ: Exploring Chengdu's rich cultural tapestry

In the eastern sector, Longquan Mountain Urban Forest Park, which covers around 1,275 sq km and is known as Chengdu's "green heart", is another paradise for plants and animals. The park is home to 1,169 strains of higher plants including 21 nationally protected species, and 405 known animal species, including three under national first-class protection and 27 under national second-class protection. The ultra-rare flowering deciduous tree Emmenopterys henryi and the red-billed leiothrix — Chinese nightingale — also inhabit the park.

In 2019, Chengdu rolled out a conservation regulation for the Longquan Mountain park, which was the first of its kind in the country. The city designated ecological zones that function as buffers for protection and recreation within the park, and local authorities collected data covering 21 major categories, including soil and water status. According to a staff member, the park has since added 15,333 hectares of plantations for greening and landscaping, contributing to a 5.5 percent increase in forest coverage.

In this undated file photo, misty weather at Chaoyang Lake in Pujiang county lends a fantasy appearance to the area. (LI ZHIJUN / FOR CHINA DAILY)

Total forest coverage in the Longquan Mountain area will reach more than 70.5 percent after completion of the park. Due to local tree-planting and protection efforts, Longquan Mountain has become a shining example of biodiversity conservation in Chengdu.

The Chengdu Ring Ecological Park, which formerly had been urban-rural fringe areas that paid a high price for rapid urban development, is being revamped to ensure its sustainable development

The operation of the Longquan Mountain park has also driven development of local tourism and homestay businesses. Utilizing the ecological resources, the park has designed relevant traveling routes and outdoor activities such as mountain trail running, camping and natural science education. Construction work, including a 65-km tourist loop and an upgrade project for Danjing Terrace, has been completed. Plans to build programs such as the Tianfu animal and botanical garden tourist loop and the smart Longquan Mountain will soon be implemented.

Living up to its reputation as a park city, Chengdu has also constructed the Chengdu Ring Ecological Park around its highways, featuring parks, greenways, lakes and farmlands. The ecological park, which formerly had been urban-rural fringe areas that paid a high price for rapid urban development, is being revamped to ensure its sustainable development.

In this undated file photo, a flock of birds soar above the Egret Bay Ecological Wetland Park in Jinjiang district of Chengdu. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

"After completion of the ecological park, per capita green space in the central urban area will increase by 9 square meters," said an official at the Chengdu park city construction and management bureau. So far, the 100-km Chengdu Ring Greenway has been built, with more than 350 cultural and commercial facilities completed, laying a solid foundation for the city's ecological preservation.

READ MORE: Exhibition displays key bronzeware discoveries

Chengdu has been constructing a 16,900-km-long greenway system called Tianfu Greenway, with 6,500 km already finished. When completed, the greenway will serve as an artery connecting the city's natural spaces, forests, countryside parks and public green areas. It is designed to serve ecological protection, non-motorized transport, leisure, tourism, and sports activities to create a new economic consumption pattern with multiple functions.

City officials said the ongoing effort to create a better lifestyle for residents and improve facilities for public services includes a commitment to build 100 new park communities.