The Weishanzhuang Small Green Park in Daxing district of Beijing opened on April 18, and an urban forest is to be completed by the end of April. They will be part of a forest landscape in Beijing and dressing for the Beijing Daxing International Airport.

By the end of 2018, the forest area of Daxing was 458,600 mu, with the forest coverage rate reaching 29.5 percent and urban green coverage 45.6 percent. The quality of the regional ecological environment is continuously improving. This year, Daxing district will increase the afforestation area by 32,000 mu.

Mixed plantation is adopted in some patches, forming a green near-natural forest mainly composed of native tree species. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

15 small green parks built to improve rural environment  

Weishanzhuang, a town of Daxing, will transform those demolished and vacated plots into 30 parks, greatly improving the village appearances. So far, 15 small green parks in nine villages have been completed, covering a total area of 362.67 mu. 

The park in Qianyuanshang village used to be crowded with workshops and factories but is now a good green holiday resort for villagers. It is distinguished by Chinese cherry apple, yulan magnolia, poplar and white-bark pine. A cultural square has been built as "a perfect place for square dancing", said a local resident.  

Close to the Juntianfang Guqin Cultural Base, the park provides the public easy access to both nature and culture, making public space appealing to the masses as an integration of ecology, leisure and culture.  

In 2019, the second phase project, including 15 small green parks in 14 villages, will be started, covering a total area of 327.68 mu.  

 A cultural square has been built as a perfect place for public activities. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Urban forest to be unveiled at the end of April

"Weishanzhuang urban forest is an urban ecosystem which can provide residents with a beautiful leisure environment while bringing ecological benefits," said a representative of Weishanzhuang town.  

The Weishanzhuang urban forest is divided into east and west parts. The extension line of the south axis runs beside it and connects it to Beijing Daxing International Airport. The plot covers an area of 562.98 mu.
According to reports, many native plant species are used in forest planning to form a close-to-nature forest community. Through the combination of vegetation, various ecological environments are built to provide suitable habitats for birds and beasts. At the same time, based on the treatment of above-ground construction waste, a landform conducive to collecting and storing rainwater will be shaped. Through technical measures, soil will be preliminarily improved, and small animals such as earthworms will also be introduced to realize natural soil improvement.  

It is reported that Daxing will also build Langfa City Forest Park, Xihongmen Ecological Leisure Park and Jiugong Town City Forest Park near the Langfa Bridge, as well as Xinghua Bridge and Jiugong New Bridge this year, with a total area of more than 7000 mu. The main construction work of the three parks will be completed before the end of the year. After completion, the three parks, together with the Nanhaizi Country Park, will become the second green belt.

Build an ecological corridor in the airport

The ecological corridor of Beijing Daxing International Airport is the key greening project this year. The total length of the green high-speed channel to be built in Beijing Daxing International Airport is about 29 kilometers. After completion, a colorful forest landscape will be displayed. This year, the afforestation area in Weishanzhuang Town will increase by 2,500 mu over the existing 32,000 mu. The newly afforested area will connect with the previous afforested plots, forming a green landscape.

An official said that in 2019, Daxing will afforest the areas along the Beijing South-Middle corridor. At the same time, 235.65 mu of afforestation area will be added in and near the airport, creating a green ecological corridor.

In the future, a forest landscape will be displayed in front of all Daxing people, thus greatly improving the quality of life for all citizens.