[Photo via the official website of the People's Government of Beijing Municipality]

The Beijing Greenway System Special Plan (2023-2035) was released in Beijing on May 8. Under the plan, new high-quality greenways will be built and old ones upgraded to gradually put in place a city-wide network of over 5,000 kilometers of greenways, which will connect the central urban districts, plain areas and mountainous areas.

According to the plan, Beijing will build a "Jinghua Greenway" brand based on the regions with strong cultural appeal, beautiful ecological landscape, and unique spatial configuration. The brand will cover ten greenways: the Beijing Central Axis and its extension greenway, Chang'an Street and its extension greenway, the Second Ring Road greenway, the First Green Isolation Area/city park greenway, the Second Green Isolation Area/suburban park greenway, the shallow mountainous area leisure greenway, the Great Wall Cultural Belt greenway, the Grand Canal Cultural Belt greenway, the Xishan-Yongding River Cultural Belt greenway, and the Chaobai River greenway.

Among them, the Second Ring Road greenway, the one with the most historical and cultural resources in the ancient capital, connects important sites such as the Ming Dynasty Wall Relics Park, Jinzhongdu Relics Park, Yonghegong (Lamasery of Harmony and Peace) - Guo Zi Jian (The Imperial College) - Ditan Park, and Temple of Heaven. The Second Green Isolation Area/suburban park greenway will be built based on important urban blue-green spaces such as the Wenyu River, Grand Canal, Liangshui River, Beigong Forest Park, and Beijing Xishan Forest Park. It is planned to be a 100-kilometer greenway for cycling and experiencing the most beautiful waterfront and forest landscape.

(Source: The Beijing News)