Last updated: June 2024
The Ningbo Ecological Corridor is a post-industrial landscape ecological reconstruction project. It is located in the middle of the Eastern New Town in Ningbo, with a total area of 90 hectares [4]. Built upon a typical post-industrial site with degraded ecologies that needs to be healed and would soon become part of a new urbanized district, this project is holistic ecosystem services-oriented, introducing terraced wetland to manage elevation change of the site to slow the flows of urban runoffs from the street down to the river and remove the nutrients [1]. “Before being designed, the site and surrounding areas were fragmented farmland, villages and factories that were planned to be relocated - a typical brownfield in the rural-urban fringe of the southern region of China”[1]. With the implementation of the project, "the original channelized river is transformed into a meandering eco-friendly waterway dotted with tree isles to increase the interface between organisms and water bodies to empower the river’s purification capacity. The project uses productive crops and annual flowers that are rotated to bring seasonal surprise and agricultural vitality to the growing city. Boardwalks are designed to allow visitors to have intimate experience of nature and the nostalgic pastoral landscape. Pavilions made of corten steel floats on wetlands and terraces, giving the ecological corridor a touch of contemporary urban life and art. [1] "As a result, this project demonstrated landscape as an ecological infrastructure that heals the degraded ecological system meanwhile provides social and cultural services to the establishing communities." [1]
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Blue infrastructure
- Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries
- In-land wetlands, peatlands, swamps, and moors
- Green areas for water management
- Rain gardens
- Sustainable urban drainage systems
- Grey infrastructure featuring greens
- Riverbank/Lakeside greens
- Parks and urban forests
- Green corridors and green belts
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change adaptation
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Habitat and biodiversity restoration
- Habitat and biodiversity conservation
- Green space creation and/or management
- Regeneration, land-use and urban development
- Conversion of former industrial areas
- Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Flood protection
- Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
- Improvements to water quality
- Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
- Preservation of natural heritage
- Protection of historic and cultural landscape/infrastructure
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Improving mental health
- Improving physical health
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
- Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
- Effective management
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Maintenance and management of urban nature, Creation of semi-natural blue areas, Management and improved protection of rivers and other blue areas, Ecological restoration of ecosystems, Protection of natural ecosystems, Transformation of previously derelict areas
Project objectives
This project forms part of the larger ecological network in the Ningbo Eastern New Town, and it aims to build the continuity and integrity of the ecological corridor while fulfilling the needs of the communities surrounding the site and enhancing citizens’ sense of belonging. [1] It also aims to be cost-effective in construction and maintenance [1].
General objectives of the Ecological Corridor project include:
1) Build a comprehensive ecological infrastructure to provide holistic ecosystem services, while systematically addressing ecological and environmental problems; [1]
2) Restore the hydrologic environment to cleanse water bodies [1]
3) Create ‘retention basins’ and ‘rain gardens’ to mitigate the water level rise [6]
4) Restore the ecological network in the region to create vital habitats for native flora and fauna; [2]
5) Enhance public health [2]
6) Rebuild riparian wetlands [1]
7) Create a public green space [1,2]
8) Establish an identity of the newly built urban district [1]
9) Serve as a model for sustainable development in China and beyond [2]
Implementation activities
The Ecological Corridor project includes four areas (i.e., the North Area, Phase 1, Phase 2, and phase 3) [4]. Main implementation activities include:
- Reuse previous factory buildings to preserve the site’s memory and historical context [1]
- Retain existing trees and water system while integrating them into the new design [2]
- Restore wetlands and aquatic habitats through native plantings to protect wildlife and to “jumpstart habitat complexity and species richness function” [2]
- Strategically use diverse vegetation (e.g., wetland vegetation, annual crops and meadows, and woods) to build resilient landscape, lower maintenance cost, mediate visual impacts, divide spaces, whilst helping to purify water and enabling aesthetic appreciation [1,2, 4]
- Create networked series of waterways organized by low, undulating hills to improve hydro-ecological processes, treating polluted water and managing stormwater runoff, contributing to flood control [1, 2, 4]
- Build biological retention zone, permeable zone and pavement, and ecological floating island, and use natural energy such as solar energy [5]
- Establish riparian zones to provide recreational and educational opportunities for new inhabitants [2]
- Building facilities such as boardwalk, pavilions, footpaths and cycling paths. Among them, the pavilions also serve as the highlight and viewpoints of the ecological corridor. [1]
Climate-focused activities
Climate change adaptation:
- Restore wetlands and/or coastal ecosystems to dissipate the effects of flooding and/or storms
- Implement sustainable urban drainage infrastructure (e.g. to make space for water)
- Renaturalization of rivers and other water bodies
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity conservation:
- Protect and enhance urban habitats
- Preserve and strengthen existing habitats and ecosystems
- Create new habitats
- Protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect native species
Biodiversity restoration:
- Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems
- Restore ecological connectivity
Main beneficiaries
- Local government/Municipality
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Government-led
Type of initiating organisation
- Local government/municipality
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Unknown
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The project was initiated and developed by the local government: the Ningbo Planning Bureau - East New Town Development Committee [2]. Its design involves several companies, including Herrera Environmental Consultants, Turenscape, and SWA Group [1,2,5]
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
No
... a national policy or strategy?
No
... a local policy or strategy?
No
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Unknown
Type of funding
- Unknown
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Strengthened capacity to address climate hazards/natural disasters
- Water management and blue areas
- Improved water quality
- Increased protection against flooding
- Improved stormwater management
- Green space and habitat
- Promotion of naturalistic styles of landscape design for urban development
- Increased green space area
- Increased ecological connectivity across regeneration sites and scales
- Increased conversion of degraded land or soil
- Restoration of derelict areas
Economic impacts
- More sustainable tourism
Socio-cultural impacts
- Health and wellbeing
- Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Cultural heritage and sense of place
- Improvement in people’s connection to nature
Type of reported impacts
Achieved impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Unknown
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
References
1. Holmes, D. (2020) Ningbo Eastern New Town Ecological Corridor | Turenscape Available: Source link (Accessed: 9 October 2021).
2. ASLA 2013 Professional Award (2013) Analysis and Planning, Ninbo Eco-Corridor –E2.2 km Living Filter, [online] Available at: Source link (Accessed: 9 October 2021).
3. Chang, Chih-Wei G. V. (2016) "Observing ningbo Eco-Corridor: Evolving planting communities." Landscape Architecture Frontiers, vol. 4, no. 1, Feb. 2016, pp. 39+. Gale Academic OneFile, Source link (Accessed: 9 October 2021).
4. Source link (2016) 东部新城建3.3公⾥⽣态⾛廊 [East New Town builds a 3.3 kilometers Ecological Corridor]. Available: Source link (Accessed: 9 October 2021).
5. Shen, X. [ed.] (2019) Build an Eco-City. Ningbo Construction, 76, pp. 44-55. Available: Source link 9 October 2021).
6. Tang, Y.T., Chan, F.K.S., & Griffiths, J. (2015). City profile: Ningbo. Cities, 42, 97-108.
2. ASLA 2013 Professional Award (2013) Analysis and Planning, Ninbo Eco-Corridor –E2.2 km Living Filter, [online] Available at: Source link (Accessed: 9 October 2021).
3. Chang, Chih-Wei G. V. (2016) "Observing ningbo Eco-Corridor: Evolving planting communities." Landscape Architecture Frontiers, vol. 4, no. 1, Feb. 2016, pp. 39+. Gale Academic OneFile, Source link (Accessed: 9 October 2021).
4. Source link (2016) 东部新城建3.3公⾥⽣态⾛廊 [East New Town builds a 3.3 kilometers Ecological Corridor]. Available: Source link (Accessed: 9 October 2021).
5. Shen, X. [ed.] (2019) Build an Eco-City. Ningbo Construction, 76, pp. 44-55. Available: Source link 9 October 2021).
6. Tang, Y.T., Chan, F.K.S., & Griffiths, J. (2015). City profile: Ningbo. Cities, 42, 97-108.
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the UNA global extension project funded by the British Academy.