The evolution of Greenways in China

This paper focuses on the evolution of Greenway planning and implementation in China, and provides a historical context to the Greenway concept. It was found that:

(1) Although the concept of Greenway was an adaptation from the Western World, the Chinese have a history of more than 2000 years of Greenway planning and implementation. Chinese Greenways have been called various names and were planned for various reasons.

(2) The long history of Greenway planning and implementation in China was mainly a “top-down” approach, which, while very effective under a centralized administrative system, often lacked a scientific basis and significant public participation.

(3) The functions of the Greenways were mainly protection and productive, with little concern for human uses such recreational uses of cycling and hiking.

Greenways in China are discussed chronologically and in three categories:

(1) Riparian Greenways run along rivers, streams and water channels. The history of these Greenways dates more than 2000 years, since a time when trees were grown along canals and city moats. They have in modern times evolved into a network of drainage channels.

(2) Greenways along transportation corridors. These Greenways run parallel to state and provincial highways, railroads, country roads and urban streets and evolved from tree plantings along highways. Used exclusively by emperors, the green corridor networks have been systematically planned and constructed at a national scale and directly organized by the central government.

(3) Greenways along farmland for wind protection. These plantings evolved from individual segments of windbreak rows to a network of protective windbreaks and the large, regional scale “Green Great Wall” project running along the northern edge of China.

As Greenways have evolved in China, they reflect changes in ideology, utilization and scale; from protection of production or beautification to ecological and multiple uses, and from small-scale fragments to a systematic regional and national network. The occurrence of disasters, the involvement of state leaders and the influence of science played an important role in the evolution of Greenways in China.The paper also argues that:

• the traditional top-down approach in Greenway planning and implement should be integrated with scientifically based methods;

• recreational uses should be considered and integrated into existing and planned Greenways;

• the recently invoked “city beautiful”, or cosmetic approach to Greenway planning and implementation should be stopped; and

• Greenways should be planned as an critical strategic element of ecological infrastructure at both the regional and urban scale during current rapid and extensive urbanization occurring in China.