Kunming, Kunming (FUA), China
City population: 8460088
Duration: 2022 – 2023
Implementation status: Completed
Scale: Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level
Project area: 426000 m2
Type of area: Vacant or abandoned land
Last updated: September 2024

The Chaowan Nursery Garden Base Project (潮玩苗圃基地), located along the Dianchi Greenway in Kunming, was established by the Kunming Gardens Virescence Bureau (昆明市园林绿化局) in 2022 as part of the city's efforts to transform into a "city of parks" (Ref 2, 3). Covering 639 mu (42.6 hectares), the Chaowan Nursery Garden has introduced over 1.4 million plants, including trees, flowers, and grasses, greatly expanding the city's green spaces (Ref 3). It serves as a key resource for the Kunming Greening Service Center (昆明市绿化服务中心), providing seedlings for major greening projects along roads like Guangfu Road, Airport Road, Beijing Road, and the Second Ring Elevated Road (Ref 4). Innovatively designed, the nursery also functions as a park, offering an "immersive" experience with various themed areas such as rainwater gardens, rural gardens, Chinese gardens, and scenic balconies. These spaces allow visitors to stroll through and enjoy the beauty of various flowers and natural surroundings (Ref 4). The project also collaborates with local universities on seedling research, capacity building, and resource sharing, further enhancing its multifaceted role (Ref 3). Since opening to the public in 2023, the Chaowan Nursery Garden has become a popular destination for families, young people, and children, offering both recreational and educational experiences (Ref 5, 6, 7, 8).

Chaowan park and garden
Chaowan park and garden
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/10RHOQF35b-CBi85lpYqNg

Overview

Nature-based solution

  • Green areas for water management
  • Rain gardens
  • Parks and urban forests
  • Large urban parks or forests

Key challenges

  • Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
  • Climate change adaptation
  • Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
  • Green space creation and/or management
  • Habitat and biodiversity conservation
  • Regeneration, land-use and urban development
  • Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
  • Water management (SDG 6)
  • Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
  • Health and well-being (SDG 3)
  • Creation of opportunities for recreation
  • Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
  • Social interaction
  • Environmental education

Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)

  • Environmental Degradation
  • Poor water quality
  • Land use and Socio-economic change
  • Rapid urbanization
  • Unequal availability and access to public green spaces

Key priorities

Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation), Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration), Social Justice and community

Focus

Creation of new green areas, Creation of large parks and urban and peri-urban forests, Creation of any other green urban spaces, Knowledge creation and awareness raising, Scientific research of biodiversity or ecosystems, Improved governance of green or blue areas, Creation of new, innovative governance and management approaches

Project objectives

To develop a green ecological space open to the public, integrating the functions of a nursery garden, park, and scientific research/environmental educational space to enhance the city’s ecological and landscape value (Ref 3). To enhance ecological function by stockpiling high-quality container seedlings, ensuring a sustainable supply for greening efforts. To foster the development of the seeding industry and contribute to Kunming's beautification through scientific research and practical applications in urban greening projects. To conserve biodiversity by planting a diverse array of trees, plants, and shrubs for urban greening at key locations (Ref 3). To promote community well-being and social justice by enhancing Kunming’s livability through the creation of peaceful spaces (Ref 2, 9). To address stormwater (caused by frequent occurrence of extreme events) management challenges by incorporating rain gardens within the park, promoting environmental sustainability and effective water runoff management (Ref 1, 4).

Implementation activities

Introducing 4,386 trees, including camphor, jacaranda, Yunnan cherry, more than 136,600 pots of grass flowers, and 2,148 shrubs. The nursery selected more than ten native tree species such as Albizia yunnanensis, Photinia fraseri, and winter cherry, with native tree species accounting for more than 70% of all reserve seedlings. Flowers are used for overpass landscaping (Ref 2, 4, 5). Building display scenes such as rainwater gardens, rural gardens, Chinese gardens, and balconies on Plot 5 according to local conditions, creating interactive spaces (Ref 3). The seedling reserve area includes production zones for leaf, flowering trees, container flowers, displays, and exhibitions. It serves ecological and landscape functions, cultivating seedlings (ibid.). The garden features sections like flower fields, flower houses, and lawn camps, creating a nursery that integrates garden culture, outdoor activities, and parking (ibid.). Research and development on species such as roses, localizing nursery production, enhancing urban greenery, and boosting industry (ibid.).

Climate-focused activities

Climate change adaptation:

  • Implement sustainable urban drainage schemes to manage stormwater

Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities

Biodiversity conservation:

  • Protect and enhance urban habitats
  • Create new habitats
  • Protect species
  • Undertake specific measures to protect species
  • Undertake specific measures to protect native species
  • Means for conservation governance
  • Manage biological resources for conservation and sustainable use
  • Create and use scientific knowledge for conservation

Main beneficiaries

  • Local government/Municipality
  • Private sector/Corporate/Company
  • Researchers/University
  • Citizens or community groups
  • Young people and children
  • Marginalized groups: Children, young people or youth groups

Governance

Management set-up

  • Co-governance with government and non-government actors

Type of initiating organisation

  • Local government/municipality

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

  • Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
  • Dissemination of information and education
  • Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
  • Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

The Chaowan Nursery Garden Base Project is initiated by Kunming Gardens Virescence Bureau (昆明市园林绿化局) and its sub-institution Kunming Greening Service Centre (昆明市绿化服务中心) (Ref 1). The land use rights was transferred by Kunming Rail Transit Group Co.,Ltd. and Xishan District Municipality (Ref 5). The project also works in strategic partnerships and sign framework agreements with institutions such as Yunnan Agricultural University, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and Kunming Institute of Botany (Ref 3). A long-term formal mechanism for landscape construction and subsequent management and maintenance investment is in place (Ref 5). Technical research and development of low-maintenance landscape rose breeding, variety evaluation and screening, efficient seedling breeding, and standardized production of finished seedlings are conducted in the Garden in collaboration with the Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences (Ref 3).

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? Unknown
... a national policy or strategy? Unknown
... a local policy or strategy? Yes (In response to the Yunnan Province Green and Beautiful Urban Construction Three-Year Action Plan (2022—2024), Kunming published the Kunming City Urban and Rural Greening and Beautification Three-Year Action Plan (昆明市城乡绿化美化三年行动方案) (Ref 2). The plan focuses on creating a "green and beautiful" city, including promoting city parks and community greening and the Chaowan Nursery Garden is initiated in response to it (Ref 2, 13).)

Type of enablers

Technological innovations

Financing

Total cost

Unknown

Source(s) of funding

  • Public local authority budget

Type of funding

  • Earmarked public budget

Non-financial contribution

No

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

  • Environmental quality
  • Improved air quality
  • Achieved improved air quality
  • Water management and blue areas
  • Improved stormwater management
  • Achieved improved stormwater management
  • Green space and habitat
  • Increased green space area
  • Achieved increased green space area
  • Increased number of species present
  • Achieved increased number of species present

Economic impacts

  • More sustainable tourism
  • Expected more sustainable tourism
  • Reduce financial cost for urban management
  • Achieved reduce financial cost for urban management

Socio-cultural impacts

  • Social justice and cohesion
  • Improved access to urban green space
  • Achieved improved access to urban green space
  • Increased opportunities for social interaction
  • Achieved increased opportunities for social interaction
  • Health and wellbeing
  • Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
  • Achieved gain in activities for recreation and exercise
  • Improved mental health
  • Achieved improved mental health
  • Education
  • Increased support for education and scientific research
  • Achieved increased support for education and scientific research
  • Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
  • Achieved increased knowledge of locals about local nature

Type of reported impacts

Presence of formal monitoring system

Yes

Presence of indicators used in reporting

No evidence in public records

Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports

No evidence in public records

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

No evidence in public records

Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs

Unknown

References

1.
Weedon, S. (2023). Four Days in China's Spring City – Rediscovering Kunming. GoKunming, Accessed on August 22, 2024, [Source link];
2.
昆明市滇池管理局 (2022). 昆明提出公园城市建设新目标—— 早日重现“五百里滇池”美丽画卷. 昆明市滇池管理局, Accessed on August 22, 2024, [Source link];
3.
Wang, L.;Xiong, M. (2023). 按照“苗圃+公园+科研”理念，兼顾生态与景观多个功能——留白用地变绿色空间. Yunnan Daily, Accessed on August 22, 2024, [Source link];
4.
Yang, Y. (2024). 公园城市丨潮玩苗圃：滇池绿道旁的秘密花园. Kunming Gardens Virescence Bureau, Accessed on August 22, 2024, [Source link];
5.
Zuo, X. (2023). 免费开放！开屏新闻记者在昆明滇池边找到一个“宝藏”打卡点. Kaipin News, Accessed on August 22, 2024, [Source link];
6.
萨莎Sasha（园丁版） (2023). 昆明亲子骑行路线🚲|冬天在春城可太幸福了！. RED, Accessed on August 22, 2024, [Source link];
7.
Cloud在昆明 (2024). 大观楼🎡摩天轮太好拍了！（附机位）. RED, Accessed on August 22, 2024, [Source link];
8.
石榴气泡水 (2024). 摩天轮旁露营地🌆，生日Party独一无二🎂！. RED, Accessed on August 22, 2024, [Source link];
9.
Yunnan Daily (2023). 昆明市全力推进“城市公园”建设——点亮家门口的诗和远方. Yunnan Daily, Accessed on August 22, 2024, [Source link];
10.
Kunming Gardens Virescence Bureau (2023). 公园城市丨“园”聚昆明 乐享春城—2023年昆明市“公园+”专题推介会圆满举行. Kunming Gardens Virescence Bureau, Accessed on August 22, 2024, [Source link];
11.
Kunming Gardens Virescence Bureau (2023). 滇池畔的“秘密花园”，盛满了都市人的幸福感. Kunming Gardens Virescence Bureau, Accessed on August 22, 2024, [Source link];
12.
Kunming Gardens Virescence Bureau (2024). 公园城市 | 迎六一，这些小游园也是遛娃好去处. Kunming Gardens Virescence Bureau, Accessed on August 22, 2024, [Source link];
13.
Kunming Gardens Virescence Bureau (2023). 昆明已建成700余座公园. Kunming Gardens Virescence Bureau, Accessed on August 22, 2024, [Source link];
14.
Yunnan Daily (2024). 明市推进绿美春城建设 点亮家门口的“诗和远方” 推窗见绿闻花香 走出家门都是景. Yunnan Daily, Accessed on August 22, 2024, [Source link];
15.
寰宇地理志 (2024). 云南省昆明市发展情况介绍（人口、面积、GDP. Wechat Official Account, Accessed on September 13, 2024, [Source link];
16.
红黑人口库 (2024). 2023年[昆明]西山区人口常住户籍总人数口和第七次人口普查结果. 红黑人口库, Accessed on September 13, 2024, [Source link];
Chaowan park and garden
Chaowan park and garden
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/10RHOQF35b-CBi85lpYqNg
Chaowan park and garden
Chaowan park and garden
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/10RHOQF35b-CBi85lpYqNg
Chaowan park and garden
Chaowan park and garden
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/10RHOQF35b-CBi85lpYqNg
naturescapes bannerInformation about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.