Tianhe district in Guangzhou recently launched its plan to build a greener Tianhe and create itself into "a park in the urban area".

According to the plan, the district is set to complete its two national-level projects, namely the South China National Botanical Garden and the Pangolin Conservation Research Center under the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, to build the South China National Botanical Garden-Huolu Mountain city-garden integration demonstration zone.

There are about 49.3 square kilometers of forest land and green land in Tianhe, accounting for 36 percent of the district's total land. [Photo/WeChat account: tianhefabu]

The "three mountain green circle" in the plan refers to the fact that Tianhe will integrate the ecological resources of Huolu, Longyandong, and Fenghuang mountains, build 40 kilometers of forest trails with high standards, and hence create an environmental health circle in the urban area.

Along the Chebei River, the district is scheduled to systematically promote water environmental governance and the construction of greenways, as well as invigorate its historic cultural resources like dragon boat races.

The four-tier park system, which includes ecological parks, urban parks, community parks, and pocket parks, is also poised to be continued and improved in the district.

A fitness trail winds through mountains in Tianhe. [Photo/WeChat account: tianhefabu]

Tianhe's scheme of building itself into "a park in the urban area" has begun to take shape, said Zheng Peng, deputy head of Tianhe's housing and urban-rural development bureau, at a press conference for the plan on April 26.

There are 107 parks in the district, totaling an area of nearly 2,000 hectares. Greenways of 152 km have been built. The green coverage area reaches 4,294.03 hectares, and the park green area is 2,589.36 hectares, with a per capita park green area of 12.03 square meters.

During the press conference, Li Ming, deputy head of Tianhe's water resources bureau, highlighted the district's improvement in water quality in recent years, with the district's rain and sewage water diversion public pipe network system being basically completed.

Its water quality improvement ranked first in Guangzhou city in 2023.

Many citizens visit Tianhe parks for a tranquil experience. [Photo/WeChat account: tianhefabu]