THE REBIRTH OF TROPICAL RAINFOREST — ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION PLANNING FOR SANDA MOUNTAIN OF XISHUANGBANNA, CHINA

Abstract

Haikou is a coastal tourist city in Hainan Province of South China with beautiful natural landscapes. During the rapid urbanization in the past decades, the role of natural rivers as city’s water ecological infrastructure has been long-time neglected, resulting in a sharp deterioration of urban ecological resilience and security. Fengxiang Park, sitting at the middle reaches of the Meishe River, is a key ecological node in the watershed, which however had suffered from severe ecological problems. In this demonstrative project, the site was envisioned as an urban park which mitigates urban flooding and water pollution and provides citizens a quality waterfront with pleasant, slow living environment through a substantial ecosystem improvement with means of Design Ecology. Techniques of green sponge construction and the reinforced constructed wetland system deployed in the park have effectively slowed down the flow of water and nutrients, restored habitats for fauna and flora, and increased biodiversity; the introduction of a diversity of slow traffic system has brought vitality to the city by encouraging green traffic modes among citizens and tourists, creating a new tourism, recreational, and cultural destination for the city. More importantly, in view of increasingly severe issues such as water pollution and shortage around the globe, this project shows an obvious reference significance to other practices in urban water quality improvement, flooding control, and the creation of public spaces to provide social and cultural services.