--- description: Breaking news and analysis from time.com. Politics, world news, photos, video, tech reviews, health, science, and entertainment news. title: Natural path to knowledge image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt31dca3879aa2721d/6a4b523ba09d9f6ba15e91eb/A93A7C3D73FF4097A67F180468B6D40C.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 --- # Natural path to knowledge  _This content was paid for and prepared by China Daily, an official publication of the People's Republic of China. The TIME editorial and advertising departments were not involved in the creation of this content._ With its pristine forests, shrubs, meadows and alpine wetlands, Wanglang National Nature Reserve in Pingwu county, Sichuan province, part of the Giant Panda National Park, is known for its rich biodiversity. ZOU TAO / FOR CHINA DAILY By CHEN LIANG For the over 20 rangers that patrol the Wanglang National Nature Reserve in Southwest China’s Sichuan province, apart from patrolling and protecting the forest, they serve another critical function — education. Located in the northern tip of Sichuan, Wanglang is less well known than the nearby scenic areas of Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong. But unlike those areas of spectacular natural beauty, Wanglang offers something different. Particularly in the summer months, the reserve’s rangers have a busy schedule acting as guides and educators to many tour groups, especially students on their summer breaks, teaching them about the forest, environmental protection, the local plant and animal species, and forest management. This service sets Wanglang apart from other nature reserves, enabling it to carve out its own niche in nature education. The 125-square-mile park is visited by a diverse range of people, from elementary and high school students to scholars from some of the nation’s top universities, as well as families and botany enthusiasts from overseas. Nestled in the Minshan Mountains, the reserve is renowned for its cooler climate in the summer months, owing to its elevation ranging from over 6,500 to nearly 16,400 feet. Despite the growing number of visitors and the income that brings, Zhao Lianjun, director of the Wanglang reserve, said that conservation will always remain the key focus of the reserve. This summer, Wanglang struggled to accommodate visitors at peak times. The Wanglang Giant Panda Camp, the sole lodgings available for tourists, can only cater to a little over 100 people. “These rooms are typically pre-booked by nature education tour groups,” Zhao said. The reserve’s dormitories can accommodate 70 to 80 further people, but they are exclusively reserved for visitors from collaborating institutions. “They’re primarily utilized by college students and their teachers on field internship expeditions,” he said. “Also, we expect to channel most of our visitors to homestays in villages near the reserve, bringing a solid income to the local communities.” According to the reserve manager, Wanglang was one of the very first nature reserves in the country to offer nature education. Wanglang was established as a wild giant panda reserve in 1965, along with the reserves of Wolong, Baihe and Labahe. While Wanglang may not boast the same natural spectacle as Jiuzhaigou or Huanglong, both World Heritage Sites, its long tradition of cooperating with research institutions, rich biodiversity and diverse habitats have made it a prime location for nature education. Zhao said that the reserve has run nature education programs for more than 10 years. “The earliest visitors to Wanglang were researchers and their students from universities and scientific institutions,” he said. “They discovered an ideal research environment in Wanglang, and many have since become regular visitors.” The reserve was also among the first in China to engage in international cooperation, including scientific research initiatives with renowned conservation biologists such as George Schaller and John MacKinnon. With its pristine forests, shrubs, meadows and alpine wetlands, Wanglang is home to a diverse array of wildlife, including 14 first-class protected species such as giant pandas, golden monkeys, takins and snow leopards, as well as 15 second-class protected species such as wolves, red foxes and golden cats. The park also boasts over 270 bird species and about 60 species of orchids. 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