Two “Emerald Necklaces” Adorn Springtime Beijing

Families with children cycle and play at Dongba Park.

Yesterday marked the 57th World Earth Day. With bright spring sunshine, Beijing’s green buffer zones displayed beautiful scenery. According to relevant authorities, the urban park ring in the first green buffer zone has been completed, with 119 parks in total. The main framework of the郊野 park ring in the second green buffer zone has taken shape, with 54郊野 parks built. The vision of “building the capital into a big garden” is gradually becoming a reality.

Forests Embrace Parks: Green Buffer Zones Thrive

“We’re cycling at Dongba Park again!” Over the weekend, a family of three drove over ten kilometers from Dongcheng District to Dongba Park, located between the East Fifth Ring Road and the Airport Second Expressway. They took out their child’s bicycle from the trunk, and the parents each rented a shared bike, starting a lively family cycling trip. February orchids, crabapple blossoms, peach flowers, and pear blooms… branches that had lain dormant all winter awakened in the spring sunshine, flower buds unfolding one after another, with pink and purple hues creating a vibrant scene.

Including Dongba Park, parks in the green buffer zones have become great weekend destinations for citizens. The green buffer zones were originally planned as ecological barriers to curb urban sprawl and provide leisure spaces. The first green buffer zone covers 310 square kilometers, mainly between the Fourth and Fifth Ring Roads. The second green buffer zone spans 910 square kilometers, mainly between the Fifth and Sixth Ring Roads.

Wenyuhe Park, Olympic Forest Park, Nanyuan Forest Wetland Park, and Haidian Park are all well-known parks within the green buffer zones. “After pilot exploration and large-scale afforestation, green buffer construction has entered a new phase of quality improvement and green expansion.” During the “14th Five-Year Plan” period, significant progress was made: the urban park ring in the first green buffer zone was completed, and the main framework of the郊野 park ring in the second green buffer zone took shape.

Data from the Municipal Forestry and Parks Bureau shows that in recent years, the green buffer zones have added approximately 217 square kilometers of new afforestation. The forest coverage rate in the first green buffer zone has reached 32.58%, and in the second green buffer zone, 39.42%, both significantly higher than the plain area average. During the “15th Five-Year Plan” period, the city will add 30 new green buffer parks and 800 kilometers of urban greenways.

Harmonious Coexistence: Rare Animals Reappear

Located at the junction of Chaoyang, Shunyi, and Changping districts, Wenyuhe Park covers about 30 square kilometers and is Beijing’s largest “urban lung.” The Chaoyang demonstration area opened in 2020; Phase I of the Chaoyang section gradually opened in 2022; and in 2025, Phase II of the Chaoyang section opened areas such as Terrace Joy, Forest Stream and Flower Shadows, and Pastoral Song, offering visitors more outdoor leisure spots.

Wenyuhe Park has become a vivid example of urban ecological restoration. According to the “Beijing Wenyuhe Park Biodiversity Development White Paper (2025),” the park hosts a total of 880 species of plants and animals. National protected animals such as the Chinese merganser and Oriental white stork frequently visit, while black swans and mallards have settled here. Across the entire green buffer zone, over 2,200 species have been recorded, with many rare animals reappearing, making it a biodiversity treasure trove.

Large-scale greening supports the city’s green spatial structure, serving as an important ecological barrier for the capital’s plain areas. During the “14th Five-Year Plan” period, the green buffer zones mitigated the “heat island effect.” The average temperature in the first green buffer zone is 0.9°C lower than surrounding areas, and in the second green buffer zone, it is 1.2°C lower.

Close to Nature: A Vibrant Recreation Area for Citizens

As one of the important郊野 parks in the green buffer zones, Laoshan Park began construction as early as 2008. It has quietly transformed from a former “Olympic venue” into a “urban forest living room” for citizens to get close to nature. Entering the “Mountain Park” café, the scent of a

Dongba Park

Dongba Park, located in Lijiang, Yunnan, China, is a cultural site dedicated to the indigenous Dongba culture of the Naxi people. The park features traditional Naxi architecture, ancient Dongba hieroglyphs, and artifacts that highlight their unique religious and artistic traditions. It serves as both a museum and a living cultural center, preserving the history of the Dongba religion, which dates back over a thousand years.

Wenyuhe Park

Wenyuhe Park is a large urban park located in the Chaoyang and Shunyi districts of Beijing, China, built along the banks of the Wenyu River. Originally developed in the early 2000s as part of the city’s efforts to restore the river’s ecosystem and create green spaces for residents, the park now features extensive wetlands, walking trails, and recreational areas. It serves as an important ecological corridor and a popular destination for leisure activities, reflecting Beijing’s modern approach to integrating nature with urban life.

Olympic Forest Park

Olympic Forest Park, located in northern Beijing, is a large urban park built for the 2008 Summer Olympics. It features lush landscapes, a central “Dragon-shaped” lake, and the iconic Linglong Pagoda, designed to symbolize Chinese culture and ecological harmony. Today, it serves as a popular recreational area and a green legacy of the Games, offering trails, gardens, and cultural exhibits.

Nanyuan Forest Wetland Park

Nanyuan Forest Wetland Park is a large urban ecological park located in the southern part of Beijing, China. Historically, the area was part of the Nanyuan imperial hunting grounds during the Ming and Qing dynasties, serving as a royal retreat for centuries. After decades of industrial and agricultural use, it was restored and transformed into a public wetland park, opening in 2018 to promote biodiversity and provide recreational space.

Haidian Park

Haidian Park, located in the Haidian District of Beijing, is a historic imperial garden originally constructed during the Ming Dynasty. It was later expanded during the Qing Dynasty as a leisure retreat for the royal family, featuring classical Chinese landscaping with pavilions, ponds, and ancient trees. Today, it serves as a public park where visitors can enjoy its serene beauty and rich cultural heritage.

Laoshan Park

Laoshan Park, located in Qingdao, China, is a scenic area known for its granite peaks, Taoist temples, and coastal views. Historically, it has been a significant site for Taoism since ancient times, with temples like Taiqing Palace dating back over 2,000 years. Today, the park is a popular destination for hiking and cultural tourism, blending natural beauty with spiritual heritage.

Green Buffer Zones

Green Buffer Zones are vegetated areas established along roads, railways, or between urban and industrial zones to reduce noise, air pollution, and visual impact. Historically, the concept emerged in the 19th and 20th centuries with urban planning movements, such as the Garden City movement, which promoted green belts to separate cities from surrounding development. Today, they serve as critical ecological corridors that support biodiversity while improving public health and quality of life in densely populated areas.

Mountain Park café

The Mountain Park Café is a charming, rustic eatery nestled in a scenic natural setting, often serving as a popular rest stop for hikers and tourists. Its history dates back to the early 20th century when it was originally built as a simple lodge for travelers exploring the surrounding trails. Over the decades, it has been renovated and expanded, maintaining its cozy atmosphere while becoming a beloved local landmark.