Youdian River Park System

yǒu Landscape: Located in Baoshan City, Yunnan Province, Changning County is a multi-ethnic mountainous agricultural county rich in cultural and tourism resources. The county town is surrounded by mountains on all sides, and the “Youdian River,” a first-level tributary of the Lancang River and known as the mother river, flows through the valley. Thanks to the development of agriculture, the core area of Changning County Town has retained thousands of acres of farmland, forming a pattern of alternating fields and towns. However, Changning faces prominent problems: 1) The expansion of the town exerts pressure on the protection of farmland; 2) Before 2019, Changning County was still a “national-level impoverished county. ” How to bring greater welfare to the local people through green mountains and clear waters, and achieve synchronous transformation and improvement of the economy, ecology, and society is a common problem faced by underdeveloped areas in the west. In 2015, Changning formulated a strategic guideline of “promoting the development of the tourism service industry and the organic integration of the primary and tertiary industries by comprehensively improving the living environment. ” The design team was invited to Changning and found five major issues and contradictions in the living environment through field research: 1) The contradiction between protecting the rural space squeezed by the town and expanding the composite functional space of ecology and recreation; 2) The past straightening and channelization of the main stream and tributaries of the Youdian River, resulting in insufficient flood prevention and drainage capacity during the rainy season, and the contradiction of not meeting the landscape effects and water-related needs during the dry season; 3) The contradiction between water pollution and agricultural production, urban water use, and environmental features; 4) The contradiction between the increasing demand for leisure tourism and the lack of urban ecological open spaces and public service facilities; 5) The contradiction between the relatively sparse distribution of the Han nationality and ethnic minorities in residence, and promoting ethnic harmony and strengthening local identity. To solve the above problems and contradictions, relying on the inherent characteristics of Changning’s landscape, and the beautiful scenery of the Youdian River, the design team formulated a “three-in-one” strategy that takes the comprehensive management of the Youdian River basin as the entry point, integrating water conservancy facilities improvement, water environment restoration, and waterfront landscape creation. This aims to fully integrate pastoral scenery, natural environment, and urban landscape, to comprehensively improve ecological infrastructure and living environment, presenting an overall style of “interlaced fields and towns, interwoven towns and forests, and interdependent towns and water,” and a park pattern of the whole region, laying a good foundation for the development of Changning’s tourism service industry and the realization of the goal of all-region tourism. The “three-in-one” strategy has strong innovation in China’s river basin management and ecological landscape practice. It emphasizes the integration of three professions: water conservancy, environment, and landscape, changing the past practice where the three were managed by different departments, independently designed by different design units, and implemented by different construction units. First, the government set up the Youdian River Comprehensive Management Project Engineering Management Bureau by drawing on relevant personnel from various departments, and then a well-equipped design team formulated a comprehensive plan covering the whole region and the entire cycle, which is conducive to better phased implementation and construction in the later stage. 1) In terms of improving water conservancy facilities: The Youdian River is the main flood prevention task of Changning’s small and medium-sized rivers. Traditional river management methods such as straightening and channelization have highlighted problems. The original flood prevention level of once in ten years can no longer meet functional needs. Re-river management according to ecological principles has become the first task of small and medium-sized river basin management. The design will improve the city river’s flood prevention level from once in ten years to once in twenty years, while setting up lakes and wetlands on tributaries such as Qingzhen River and Houxiao River to play a role in storing and detaining instantaneous floods, alleviating the flood discharge pressure of the main stream of Youdian River; 2) In terms of water environment restoration: On the basis of improving urban and rural sewage interception facilities, the construction of farmland surface flow wetlands, submerged flow wetlands, and lakeshore wetlands will systematically solve the problems of agricultural non-point source pollution and village life sewage; 3) In terms of creating waterfront landscapes: According to local conditions, the existing resources of farmland and river channels are utilized and transformed to form modern public spaces that are integrated into the environment, reflect regional characteristics, and embody the spirit of the site (Figures 1~3). The project takes the 7. 5 km core section of the Youdian River as the main axis, with the Youdian River Greenway Park running through the north and south, connecting various open spaces such as the Water Environment Treatment Demonstration park, Sports Park, Chayun Park, and Starry Field Park, gradually forming an all-regional park composed of multiple river corridors and several parks, resembling a “Emerald Necklace” that on the pastoral urban edge. 2. Functionally Integrated Agricultural Ecological Landscape The natural embrace of mountains, water, and the town forms the excellent spatial foundation of Changning. To ensure the preservation of precious farmland while also alleviating ecological pressure and meeting people’s recreational needs, the design team has taken a comprehensive consideration of the farmland areas adjacent to the north and south of the county town. They have endowed these areas with ecological and recreational functions without encroaching on the basic farmland. 1)Landscape the agricultural infrastructure, redesign and construct irrigation channels, farm roads, and ridge paths near the core area of the park or the main tourist routes, ensuring that they integrate more harmoniously with the park’s appearance while maintaining agricultural production; 2)Rotate the cultivation of crops with strong ornamental value in some farmland areas, operated as a whole by agricultural companies, to increase seasonal ornamental landscapes and also generate some income to support the operation and maintenance of the park; 3)Connect the ponds and wetlands between the farmland and the park through seasonal waterways. The entire capillary system is not treated with anti-seepage or hardening, and a variety of trees, shrubs, and grasses are planted along the waterways, ensuring the dominance of native plants in the community evolution. These areas are free of roads, reducing human disturbance and thus forming a biological corridor that connects the site and a larger surrounding area. This provides a living environment and migration channels for local insects, animals, and birds, helping to reduce the impact of agricultural production on biodiversity. It also offers visitors a more ecological viewing experience. Based on the above measures, the establishment of a comprehensive wetland system, agricultural ecological corridors, river islands, and floodplains forms a transition zone between urban areas, fields, and nature. This not only ensures agricultural production and the agricultural economy but also provides a safeguard for biodiversity and the stability of ecosystems. Thus, a sustainable river and farmland ecosystem is constructed, capable of spontaneously adjusting to future disturbances and continuously evolving and optimizing over time. 3. Cultural Symbols and Metaphors Although the Ailao people had been cultivating and living here since before the Common Era, Changning is not a famous historical and cultural city, so there are no very unique elements in the cultural transmission of the park, nor are there too many historical preservation restrictions. Therefore, the design team has the opportunity to compose today’s Changning with contemporary aesthetics and design language, and to enhance cultural confidence and provide development opportunities for the future of Changning. To metaphorically reproduce the “sky light and cloud shadow” of Changning’s landscape of mountains, waters, and farmlands, and to mark the park’s domain on the organic but disordered farmland texture, thus conveying the sense of order and security representative of agriculture, the designers arranged a 50 m × 50 m grid network along the most prominent Qingzhen River on the site, and set up a series of cloud pavilions and cloud tower as regional landmarks at the intersection points, forming a contemporary landscape of the earth. The “Cloud” structures use a three-dimensional spatial network structure that can present a significant volume while maintaining a light and transparent texture, inspired by the clouds floating over the vast fields of Changning when viewed from an airplane. Functionally, the “Cloud” structures provide point-like rest areas for visitors, and the connections between the structures form a tourist traffic independent of agricultural production. Combined with different site conditions, the cloud pavilions present different forms and provide different functions, such as water pavilions, ancient well pavilions, cherry blossom pavilions, and field pavilions, etc. The cloud tower is located at the top of the axis, 20m high, standing by the lake, with 5 floors for visitors to ascend, equipped with a fog spray system. When activated, the water mist blends with the rising fog of the river valley. At night, the lights are on, presenting a translucent feeling, making the cloud tower a new landmark of the park and even Changning. 4. Don) Sok. Integration of Urban and Rural Areas and Ethnic Groups The starting point of the main axis on the south side is an open park entrance facing the city, while the north side extends all the way to the Hui ethnic village at the foot of the mountain. The entire axis is lined with Yunnan winter cherry blossoms (Cerasus cerasoides (D. Don) Sok. ), which turn into a pink corridor at the end of winter and the beginning of spring, known as the “Sukura Blossom Avenue”. The predecessor of this axis was an irrigation canal flowing into the Youdian River – the Qingzhen River, which was partially rerouted due to water system renovation, thus becoming a main thoroughfare in the north of the town, bearing the pedestrian traffic function for the daily production and life of urban and village residents. It has also become a gathering place for people’s leisure, gatherings, and folk activities. Through this, the Hui ethnic residential area and the county town, which were originally relatively independent areas, are connected by the Cherry Blossom Path. The lives of people from various ethnic groups are integrated in the fields and parks, thereby promoting exchanges among all ethnic groups and reducing estrangement. The practices centered around water, including the utilization of water resources, water environment governance, the functional integration of agriculture, and the construction of public recreational spaces, have made the social and cultural impact of the Youdian River project far exceed the dimensions of an environmental remediation project. It has realized the profound connotation of the life community of mountains, waters, forests, fields, and lakes. 5. Chayun Park Chayun Park is located in the core area of the county town, covering an area of about 25 hectares. It was transformed based on an old park, and through the planning of the water supply system and the connection of the upstream and downstream landscape water systems, its water cycle’s self-purification ability and stability are ensured. By transforming the original water surface and lotus pond into two lakes, north and south, the water level difference between the two lakes promotes water dynamics and also forms a water curtain corridor that visitors can pass through. The new Chayun Park presents a traditional water town style, with water covering 60% of the park’s area. There are many arched bridges, plank roads, and pavilions distributed along the water, and two building groups are embedded at the north and south entrances, serving as tea museums and food alleys, allowing the park to better integrate into cultural and life scenes. The park’s design not only enhances the aesthetic appeal but also serves the local community by providing spaces for cultural appreciation and culinary experiences. The integration of water features and green spaces creates a serene environment that reflects the harmony between nature and urban life. Chayun Park has become a vital part of the urban landscape, offering residents and visitors a place to relax, enjoy the beauty of the water town, and engage with the local tea culture and cuisine. 6. Starry Field Park Starry Field Park is located on the southern side of the county town, with a base of 160 hectares of farmland. The design has re-planned the originally scattered and unsystematic irrigation ditches, introducing overflowing lake water from upstream to form a field starry river that takes into account productivity, ecology, and experience. Not only does it form a corridor conducive to biodiversity in the countryside, but it also establishes a meandering waterway and water tour route for people to play in. Visitors can paddle on the water, delve into nature, seek the fun of the fields, and even watch the stars at night, showcasing traditional agricultural culture in the vast fields. 7. Conclusion From the initiation of planning and design at the end of 2015 to the basic completion by 2020, the Changning Youdian River Ecological Landscape System, with a total investment of approximately 600 million yuan, has finally transformed from a blueprint into reality. This green necklace embedded between mountains and waters, and in the heart of the town, has begun to exert its significant influence. It has effectively alleviated the urban-rural contradictions during the process of urbanization development, turning the pastoral town into a park town with alternating fields and towns. It has brought remarkable ecological benefits, recreational services, and economic impetus to residents, tourists, and the entire city, preliminarily achieving the goal of providing comprehensive service support for the development of all-region tourism. The park system, which has been put into use gradually since 2017, has completely changed the situation of the county town lacking public recreational facilities and functions, and has helped the development of Changning in many ways: In October 2017, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of the People’s Republic of China officially awarded Changning the title of “National Garden County Town”; In 2020, the “Youdian River Rural Ecological Tourism Area” with the Youdian River Park System as its core was designated as a national AAAA-level scenic area; In 2021, the Youdian River was shortlisted as an excellent case of “Beautiful Rivers and Lakes” by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment. Thus, through the comprehensive management and development with water as the pulse and ecological landscape as the overall plan, Changning, this small town on the frontier, has transformed into a pearl of the western Yunnan.