LOCATION: Jining ,Shandong
AREA: 403.7km2
DATE OF Design: 2017
1. Project Background
Jining is one of eight biggest coal bases in China, where the suburb is occupied by many coal mines at different scales. Coal was the main driving force of local industrial economic development. The city has gone through several periods,,from capital of canal (before the end ofthe19th Century),the decline of cities(in early20th Century - the middle of 20th Century),the revival of coal industry (from 1950s to 2000), and urban expansion(after2000). Recently,the rapid development and over-exploit of resources brought about many problems to Jining,which are mainly the deterioration of ecological environment,,the incoherence of green spaces within urban and rural areas,the simplification and shrink of industry types, and the backwardness of urban services.
Under the microscopical background of economic transformation,,the issues including how to deal with coal industry land,,to integrate urban and rural space resources, and to improve urban ecological environment become main focuses to be solved urgently for future development. And the green ring ecological planning of Jining, based on the restoration of coal mining subsidence areas and comprehensive control, is a leading edged exploration of this topic. By setting ecological restoration of mining area as the key objective, integrating urban space,and reserving possibilities to the further industry adjustment,the planning formed an resilient and ecological urban network.


2 . Opportunities and challenges
The project is located at the edge of central city. Due to the development of mining industry from the1950s,the suburb has been gradually occupied by many coal mines. Continuous mining activities have led to large land subsidence areas, and some of them have already developed into lakes in diverse acreages and depths. It is estimated that subsidence areas are going to exceed200 km2 by2020. Due to the longstanding coal mining, Jining is now facing severe environmental pollution. For example, in the first quarter of the year 2016,Jining ranked the worst among17 prefecture level cities in Shandong province according to Air Quality index records. Moreover, coal mining areas partly overlapped the urban layout,which greatly limited the development of urban space. Furthermore, mining areas also split the connection between urban and rural areas, driving suburban space system into disorder.



However, mining areas and subsidence areas have great potential to force the urban environmental transformation in Jining.
Interlaced Layout :Since urban construction areas are supposed to keep distance with mining subsidence areas, interlaced layout between those areas is naturally formed,,which is significant both ecologic ally and functionally.
Water System improvement: Jining has a large number of rivers and lakes, but some of them have poor connections between each other. Additionally, the water system structure is unreasonable, and the flood storage and detention areas are not systematic. After overall connection between subsidence areas and existing water systems,the hydro logic network of Jining will be effectively improved, and the relationship between city and water will be tightened as well.
Compact City: By creating the green ring mainly formed with subsidence areas,,ecological separated areas will be formed, which could strictly control the expansion of borders,further inhibit the low effective spreading of urban and rural construction land and additionally form multiple city clusters with local characteristics.
Park Ring: The planning could form regional open spaces with synthesized functions, including cultural activity, leisure, recreation and tourism, make up for the insufficiency of high-quality ecological recreational spaces,which would meet the residents'  need for leisure and entertainment.


3 . Investigation and analysis
Throughout on site investigation, literature research, urban master planning and several meetings with mufti-party stakeholders, areal ecological sensitivity, layout and effect of mine resource, and deep analysis of tourism and accessibility are analyzed by Geographic information System,,the outcome defines the green patterns with high ecological sensitivity, unique villages and cultural landscape resources with developing potentials, and land forms with unique features. These places are over aid with the estimated coal subsidence areas and coal mines awaiting upgrade,connected with water network and transportation corridors,which compose a 403.7 km2 planning area in total.


4 . Planning Framework
Green ring Ecological Planning in Jining is proposed with the fol[owing objectives: ecological environment restoration and regional landscape promotion, urban spaces integration and Local culture propagation, industry upgrading promotion and economic development acceleration.


Strategy1 - Ecological Restoration: Focus on mining area, water system,vegetation and habitats
First, based on the research of estimated subsidence areas and severity of coll apse,the planning puts forward landform reshaping, soil reconstruction,,and vegetation restoration.
Furthermore,,the planning proposes the overall planning of Jining water system and water areas formed by subsidence, offers suggestions for the further arrangement, deployment and functioning of water system, as well the water quality improvement.
Lastly, according to estimated future land use and specialty,,the project designs various plant communities, builds multiple types of habitat which create an ideal condition for creature in habitation and bird migration.



Strategy2 - Green Network structuring: Constructing attractive and multifunctional green network for the public
The planning is focused on reconstructing coal subsidence areas into green ring around Jining city. The green ring extends to urban spaces via rivers,,connects important natural, historical and cultural resource clusters,forms the green network with strong relationship with urban areas.
According to the needs of public participation and urban development, the project plans12 unique regional parks in the green ring,with diverse features as ecological restoration and conservation, art and creative industry demonstration, rural complex, sporting and recreational activities, health care etc. At the same time, the project sets routes and corresponding service stations in various levels to meet the needs for transferring and touring across city and the green ring,,as well inside the belt.


Strategy3 - Industrial Adjustment Suggestion: Adjusting industry structure, enriching industry types and promoting land use transformation
The project classifies lands according to its uncertainty of future land use. It clarifies the boundaries and connects the lands with low uncertainty,,including river corridors and severe subsidence areas; meanwhile reserves the lands with functional uncertainty and offers suggestions on industry transformations such as urban farming, convalescent resort, artistic and cultural creation and outdoor sports,,which are able to provides more job opportunities for the citizens.


5.Planning lndex
Ultimately,,the planning is composed of one ring-shaped landscape system and twelve eco-restored parks in subsidence areas,,with multiple functions like ecological restoration and conservation, culture propagation and art exhibitions,,farm work and rural life experiencing,sporting and recreational activities, health care, etc. The project plans altogether111.3 km2 waterareas, and143.5 km greenwaysystem.Among the total 222.7 km2 coal
subsidence areas, 69.2 km2 is transformed into wetland, 6.3 km2 is transformed into fishponds,40.9 km2 is restored into farmland, 17.1 km2 is reserved as urban construction Land, and91.3 km2 is constructed as parks.


6.Planning Prospect
Based on the ecological restoration of mining areas, reorganization of water system,,and plantation for habitat creation,,the project integrates urban space resources to form an resilient ecological network. It is significant not only for promoting the happiness index of Jining citizens, but also for providing vast opportunities to industry structure adjustment and urban development. Furthermore, it offers an adaptive methodology for the urban space transformation among cities with the similar condition, due to its high resilience and ecological priority.