LOCATION:
Weifang, Shandong
AREA:
16000km2
DATE OF COMPLETION:
2013
AWARDS:
Second Prize of 3rd Landscape Planning and Design Awards, Chinese
Society of Landscape Architecture, 2015
14th IFLA APR Awards, International Federation of Landscape Architects
Asia Pacific Region, 2017

1) Background:
Weifang region is located in the center of the Shandong Peninsula, with a total area of 16,000 square kilometers, it is one of the most active economic development zones and the fastest urbanization areas in China. With intensive regional river network, the vast majority of rivers finish their complete process of rising till rolling into the sea within the region, forming a the spatial pattern of "southern mountainous area -- central urban agglomeration -- sea in the north", is a representative "river network region" in the northern China.
Similar with most cities in China, Weifang region is undergoing a unconventional rapid urbanization process. Various cities in the area are in rapid development, continuous expansion  and construction of numerous infrastructures. Meanwhile, the regional natural system is suffering from serious damage (fragmentation, pollution, degradation, etc.), leading to increasingly serious negative impacts and severe challenges.
With the expectation to figure out a approach protecting the natural system in the context of urbanization process, the plan defines a preservation framework for key ecological land, completing the functional structure of natural system, remodeling the intimate relationship between man and nature. Based on this goal, the planning of Weifang river system green network was launched in 2013.

2) Weifang River Green Networks:
By integrating significant ecological heritages of the region (natural forests, river corridors, coastal wetlands, etc.) and utilizing the linear urban infrastructures (canals, railways, highways, etc.), the plan structures a cross-regional green infrastructure network, reconstructs the relation between Weifang region and its surrounding natural system and reconnects Weifang region to its nature heritage with the new 300 mile linear park system along 10 major bayous. With social, cultural and environmental issues addressed, it creates equitably distributed park space for all.
The network will function as a multiple natural and public service complex, carrying park systems, greenway systems, habitat systems, water conservation, water quality improvement and cultural heritage protection networks.

3) Challenges and Strategies:
Disconnection of urban area and the nature -- Reconstructing the symbiotic relationship between Weifang region and the surrounding nature.
1. The fracture of natural system - Protecting the integrity of natural ecosystems, further improving the ecosystem structure and establishing healthy relation among mountains, sea and urban agglomeration;
2. The encroachment of natural land - Protecting key natural spaces, meanwhile integrating potential land and other unused, low-value surrounding land resources;
3. The loss of ecological communities - Restoring native and healthy plant community systems, revitalizing the flexibility of natural ecology, and further strengthen the ecosystem services;
4. The severe degradation of habitats - Framing a coherent habitat network to facilitate further revival of regional biodiversity;
5. The deterioration of water quality - Recovering the self-purification capacity of the river, setting artificial wetlands in key polluted areas, to enhance the overall quality of water system as well the flexibility coping with flood control;
6. The isolation from local life - Enhancing the accessibility and convenience, enabling residents to easily access to the nature thus to enjoy the health and leisure benefits it brings about;
7. The loss of cultural characteristics - Revitalizing key historical and cultural resources with cultural networks, emphasizing the systematic protection and protective utilization.

4) Research Process:
The study on the current situation and development trend of Weifang river network lasted one and a half years. Through historical literature and maps, the team got insight into the evolution process of the rivers; carried out field investigation along the riverside, as well the social survey  aiming at surrounding residents, so as to grasp a set of primary on-site research data; set up the geographic information system for regional river network, to further provide detailed data platform basis for regional green network research.
Involving various disciplines, the planning process resort to the cooperation with administrations of land resources, water conservancy, forestry, agriculture, planning, landscape, etc., meanwhile profound and all-round communication is implemented with local government and public.

5) Structuring process:
1 Integration -- Framing the network
Integrating natural river corridors, mountains and forests, coastal wetlands and linear urban infrastructures (canals, railways, highways, etc.). By redefining these natural spaces and urban gray infrastructure attached spaces, the basic skeleton of regional green network is embodied.
2 Potential tapping -- Protecting key spaces
Relying on the network, current natural heritage and key ecological land is chiefly protected. In the meantime, the abandoned, low-value or underutilized land resources in the surrounding area are considered to be integrated, reconnecting Weifang city with its most forgotten past. In this way, the conservation zone with maximum operability and natural system integrity is delineate.
3 Regeneration -- Strengthening functional structures
Ranging from bio-community restoration, habitat regeneration, water conservation, water quality improvement, flexible flood control, cultural heritage protection, greenway traffic arrangement, residents' rural recreation etc., multiple ecosystem services is based to further enhance the scale and structure of the green networks, thereby put forward constructive strategies for the spaces along the network according to their various key functional requirements.

6) Indexes and effects:
With the proposed plan of Weifang river network, it is delimited with a core conservation zone of 1396km2, a extended conservation zone of 5923km2. The network extends for 7403km in total, serves the whole area of 16100 km2, covers 15 main urban areas and serves 9,247,200 residents.
With the proposed plan of Weifang river network, a multi-function network with ecological, recreational, cultural services is put forward, in which:
Park system: 3 regional eco-park clusters, 24 regional eco-parks, 9 country park rings
Greenway system: 8 regional eco-experiencing greenways, 10 suburb recreational ring-route greenways, 2864km ecological leisure greenway
Habitat system: 2 key habitat protected areas, 14 key habitat nodes, 7 core habitat conservation corridors
Water source protection and water quality improvement system: 3624km2 forest water conservation area, 499km2 coastal wetland water conservation area, 107 water source conservation zones, 281km water quality improvement river corridor, 48 artificial water purification wetlands
Historical and cultural corridor system: 82 historical and cultural resource spots

7) Implementation strategy:
The plan identifies the potential ecological land that needs to be acquired and preserved, proposes the various focuses of ecological function restoration for different areas, sets up guidance strategy for the eco-design of different sites and further passed the government planning examination and approval, therefore guides the delimitation of legal protection area in the form of ecological red line.
The plan spans across several administrations involving river management (land resource, planning, water conservancy, forestry, landscape, environmental protection, etc.). As a superior regulatory plan, it is progressively implemented in the following series of relevant planning and independent projects. At present, the government has carried out relevant water conservancy restoration projects, planning and design projects for riverside greenway system and riverside recreational green spaces.

8) Conclusion:
The River Green Networks is revitalizing the capacity of the eco-service system through reconstructing the symbiotic structure of urban area and surrounding nature, meanwhile providing convenient, healthy and efficient outdoor recreational spaces for residents. It is an avant-garde exploration for natural symbiotic urban sustainable development model within the context of China's rapid urbanization.