The Site near Jinshi City of Hunan Province features Maoli Lake, the second largest lake in Hunan Province, and also the surrounding marshes and a complex network of streams and smaller ditches. The biodiversity is representative of the subtropical monsoonal climate zone, with 862 vascular plants, 198 species of birds, 79 fish, 17 mammals and 13 amphibians inhabiting the Site. At least ten of these are threatened, including the Reeve’s turtle (Mauremys reevesii), yellow-breasted bunting (Emberiza aureola), and Chinese merganser (Mergus squamatus). Some 148 further bird species migrate along the Central Asian and East Asian-Australasian Flyways. The Lake has a water storage capacity of 138 million cubic metres, which helps in regulating floods, especially in the monsoon season. The Site is also designated as a National Wetland Park, to protect the biodiversity and the wetland system, and promote ecotourism and wise use of resources for local community development.