As a crystal and shining "green jade" casting in the middle of coastal China, Tianmu Mountain NationalNature Reserve sits in the northwest of Tianmu mountain range of Zhejiang Province. It is within the municipality of Lin'an, with the latitude ranging 30°18'30" - 30°24'55" N and the longitude 119°23'47" - 119°28'27" E. The reserve is also at the north edge of central-subtropical zone. It coversan area of 4,284 ha, comprising of a core zone of 676 ha, a buffer zone of 951 ha,anda transition zone of 2,497 ha. About 88.2% of the reserve's area is forest-covered. In 1956, the area was zoned by the Ministry of Forestry of China as a non-logging area. In 1986, the area was approved by the State Council as a national nature reserve. In 1996, it became a member of the UNESCO's "Man and Biosphere Reserve Network".The reserve hasmoved onto the new arena of international collaborations ever since.