Main Contents

Since the reform and opening up, the Pearl River Delta region develops rapidly,  gradually becoming one of the most dynamic and development areas in the country. It has also brought about a series of problems such as increasing ecological damage, environmental pollution and urban and rural construction disorder.

In order to solve the contradiction between the rapid economic development and the protection of ecological environment, the Pearl River Delta has explored the ecological protection methods such as "ecologically sensitive areas" and "regional green spaces", but it is difficult to change the constantly eroding situation of the ecosystem with these methods of protection in isolation and. In order to realize the long-term protection and sustainable use of ecological resources, drawing lessons from foreign experience, we propose to set up a continuous green road (combination of ecological corridor and slow line system) system in the Pearl River Delta to combine the main ecological reserves, country parks, historical relics and urban open space through the bike lane or walking road, the Pearl River Delta and organically integrate the passive ecological protection of "green corridor" with the active living leisure function of "green road" to fully reflect the ecological civilization construction concept of "protection in development and development in protection” to meet the growing needs of urban and rural residents to be close to nature, leisure and recreation at the same time of  improving the pattern of regional ecological protection.

The strategic concept of constructing of the Pearl River Delta Greenway has been fully affirmed by Secretary Wang Yang, Governor Huang Huahua and other leader when proposed. In November 2009, Secretary Wang Yang, after listening to the work report of planning construction of the Pearl River Delta Green Road Network, pointed out that the planning and construction of the Pearl River Delta Green Road Network is the actual initiative of Guangdong Province in the implementation of scientific development concept and specific action of implementing the integrated development strategy, so it should be built into a landmark project in the province and even the nation in accordance with the goal of "basic completion in one year, in place in two years, mature and perfect in three years".

To build “the Pearl River Delta Greenway Network" into a landmark project of the implementation of scientific development concept in Guangdong Province to benefit the majority of the people, the planning, according to the goal of "basic completion in one year, in place in two years, mature and perfect in three years” proposed by Secretary Wang Yang, focuses on refining the construction tasks in the future two years; based on the general layout of “6 main lines, 4 connecting lines, 22 branch lines, 18 intercity interface and 4410 square kilometers greening buffer zone” determined by the "Pearl River Delta Greenway Network Master Plan" as well as foreign classical theory and mature cases, we have constructed the overall layout of the Pearl River Delta Greenway Network with GIS multi-factor analysis method to amend and improve the line of greenways in the city and reserve the interface of Hong Kong, Macao and east, west and north Guangdong by means of “provincial and municipal linkage, top to bottom collaboration” to provide technical guidance for the construction of urban greenways. To enhance the connotation of greenways and ensure scientific management and long-term operation, the planning has supplemented ecological construction, supporting facilities, traffic convergence, functional development, security measures, management and maintenance, promotion,etc.

Project Features

1. Establish the layout condition evaluation system of “multiple elements and comprehensive comparison”

The planning evaluates the three basic conditions and ten basic elements systematically that affect the layout of the greenway to provide technical support for the scientific selection of greenway network. Among them, the resource conditions include ecological, humanities, transportation and urban layout and other elements, and they are the basis for line selection of the greenways; the policy conditions include the upper level planning, relevant planning, etc., and they are an important basis for greenway planning; and local conditions include opinions of local government, departments, the public and experts and they are the focus to be considered in greenway planning.

2. Establish the main frame of greenways of “connecting the beads into the network with unique features”

The planning, based on the layout evaluation system, has constructed the “node-path” greenway route selection model by using GIS reachability analysis, density analysis, multi-factor superposistion analysis, etc. to select the most appropriate route of greenways, forming the frame of “6 main lines, 18 intercity interface and 4410 square kilometers greening buffer zone” with a total length of over 2370m in accordance with the ecological pattern of the Pearl River Delta region to connect over 200 major development nodes in the three metropolitan area of Guangfozhao, Shenguanhui and Zhuzhongjiang, embodying the features of “mountains and rivers”, “mountains and fields”, “ecological and urban leisure”, “riverside leisure”, etc.

3. Propose the grading classification standards and construction guidelines of “unified standards and separate construction”

According to the scale and function of the greenway, the three-level greenway of “region-city-community” is divided. Among them, regional greenway is delineated by the provincial people's government and shall take the priority of construction and supervision. The planning, also based on the location and resource background of the greenways, divides ecological, suburban and urban greenways and plans functional activities with distinctive characteristics, unique charm and urban and rural separation for different types to meet various needs of urban and rural residents. Finally, it put forward the construction guideline of “classified guidance and separate construction” according to the characteristics of the nine cities to effectively guide and promote the construction work of greenways.

4. Build a “comprehensive and complete” greenway support system

The planning has arranged the details of green corridor, slowway, marking system, traffic convergence, infrastructure, etc., including the establishment of a variety of slowway reference standards; unified marks for six types of greenways in six areas; standardization of configuration of entry, parking, sanitation, lighting and other infrastructure; forming the service system of “a first-grade terminal every 20km and second-grade terminal every 5-10km” in service system.

5. Put forward the implementation security mechanism of "scientific management, long-term operation"

In order to avoid the phenomenon of "focusing on construction and ignoring management" after the completion of the greenway, the planning also put forward a series of institutionalized protection mechanisms such as "establishing the work structure", "promoting the greenway legislation", "developing the appraisal mechanism" and "promoting public participation". And it also proposed the management and maintenance mode of "hierarchical structure of territorial management", "integrated management system of specialized management and department management" and "social participation in the diversified management pattern" etc. to protect the efficient implementation of greenway network construction.

6. Create the greenway work method of “provincial and municipal interaction and urban linkage”

As a regional special action planning, the greenway network planning adopts the work method of “provincial and municipal interaction and urban linkage” due to wide range, tight schedule and strong operation. First, the basic frame of regional greenways is formed in the provincial level. Then each city will refine frame according to the actual situation to determine the specific line within the city and specific inter-city interface of each regional greenway to form a highly coherent and integrated greenway route program efficiently and accurately in “timely feedback and dynamic adjustment”.