Wet land has maintained its reputation as “the Kidney of Earth” and “Biological Supermarket”. For citizens, wetland is praised as the natural oxygen bar and an ideal place for summer. Toady, we will recommend to you nine beautiful wetland parks in Beijing.
1. Beijing Eastern Suburbs Forest Wet Land Park
Beijing Eastern Suburbs Forest Wet Land Park straddles the border region, where Tongzhou District, Shunyi District, and Chaoyang District meet, and is not far away from new Tongzhou city in the south and three kilometers away from the Beijing Capital Airport T3 in the north. As one of the four major suburb parks in Beijing, it boasts planning area of 89,000mu (≈59.2 million m2) and enjoys great reputation as “Green Kidney” in northeast Beijing.
Although it has not been completely finished, the landscape which forests and rivers combined together has begun to take shape. After finished, the wet land park boasts about 900mu(≈0.6 million m2) water area and is mainly divided into three theme areas: Lotus Pond Area; Water Forest Area; Wet Land Area. A variety of trees and flowers will be planted here, such as willow, flower-de-luce and rudbeckia hybrida. Besides, a greenway paved with permeable and breathable bricks is available for citizens. Walking around the green streets and listening to frogs’ croak, you can see lush green trees and beautiful flowers covering the wet land. Also, riding here with breeze is another great enjoyment for you.
2. The Grand Canal Forest Park in Tongzhou District
The Grand Canal Forest Park in Tongzhou District has enjoyed great reputation for its fresher air compared with noisy city. On weekends, this forest park is a must-visit place for citizens around Tongzhou District. It boasts wet lands of 34 hectares and applies advanced technology of “Ecological Floating Island” in its landscape by which water purification achieves through natural plants. Also, integration between landscaping and aquatic ecosystem achieves by this technology. Walking around the park, you can appreciate vivid animal-shaped landscape decorated by beautiful flowers, such as swan, golden rooster and panda. Especially in summer, with abundant trees planted here, it will be an ideal summer resort for you to appreciate lotus and frogs’ croak in pond.
3. Baihe Wet Land Park of Huairou District
The Baihe Wet Land Park, situated in Hekou Town and Liulimiao Town of Huairou Dsitrict, is a comprehensive wet land park including ecotourism, recreation and popular science education projects. Since the park is based on a natural wet land surrounded by rivers and mountains, water here originates from natural precipitation, upstream and springs, air here is fresh and sceneries here are beautiful. It provides the best opportunity for both children and adults to get close to nature. Along the roadside and down the steps, pure and moist air suffuses your breath. Kids can pick up stones and catch fish and shrimps in such clear rivers. And a platform to watch birds is built here. With sweet birds singing and natural landscape, you can enjoy meal with your families and friends in such pleasant environment.
4. Nanhaizi Suburb Park in Daxing District
The Nanhaizi Park is both a historical spot and largest wet land in Beijing.In ancient China, Nanhaizi was once served as royal hunting ground for 5 dynasties and royal garden in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Nanhaizi had other names before the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and the reason why it is called Nanhaizi is because it is located in the south of imperial city, and opposite Houhai and Shichahai in the north near the Forbidden City. In modern times, it is transformed into a huge wet land park with multifunctional zones, such as wet land landscape zone, imperial culture zone, elk zone and recreational zone. Most importantly, the traditional Chinese royal architecture style has been maintained, thus you can appreciate beautiful sceneries and experience classical Chinese elements here at same time. Besides, you can get close to cute elks and feed them with 20 RMB per time. The park has several gates, and there are parking lots in the northeast gate and south gate with 5RMB per time. It is worthwhile to note that the park is closed at 4 pm everyday.
5. Changgou Flowers Wet Land of Fun Hill
The Changgou Flowers Wet Land is located at the foot of the Yanshan Mountains, Changgou Town, southeast of Beijing, covering a large area. The Wetland receives water of the North Spring River which originates from Ganchi Spring which is located at the foot of mountain in the northwest. It is an endless spring and home to flatfish with a constant temperature of 16℃, considered to be a “holy spring” and endowed with good reputation as “south Beijing water town” for its natural environment. The path to wet land park is covered with beautiful flowers which are different in four seasons, such as cole flowers in spring, lavenders and sun flowers in summer. At the end of flower fields, you will see the wet land park. It boasts a six-kilometer water landscape tourist route, where natural springs, Longquan Lake, rubber dams, water wheels and various shaped stone bridges can be found, with sweet fragrance of paddy suffusing your breath, you can enjoy wide range of beautiful water lily when walking around the wetland.
6. Sanjiadian Wet land of Mentougou
In ancient times, the Sanjiadian once served as the starting point of west road in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) and the Yongding River run through from here. Nowadays, a wet land of 300 mu (≈199,800m2) is newly built in Sanjiadian Reservoir. On the vast fields, you can see the wheat billowing in the wind and bulrushes waving in distance. As a wet land with ecological function, it is also home to many water fowls and egrets. Both sides of wet land around Sanjiadian Reservoir are reserves with the total length of about 25 kilometers. Going north to the Sanjiadian barrage along north Chengzi North Street and going straight in the west direction, you will arrive at Chenjia Village. With lush bulrushes planted along the riverbank, you will see many island-shaped plants distributed in the wet land, forming a beautiful picture with rivers and cable suspensions.
7. Cuihu Wet Land Park
Located on the northwest to Beijing, the Cuihu National Urban Wetland Park serves as the only one national standard wetland park approved by Beijing Municipal Government. The most distinctive is that it is home to many animals and plants, including over 200 kinds of animals including birds, fishes, amphibians and reptiles, and 423 kinds of plants including native and cultivated wetland higher plants. With total area of 157.16 hectares, part of the park opens to public receiving few visitors. Located in the north of the park, the part opening to the public boasts 45 hectares. With the theme of popular science education, many landscapes introduced here. Along the front gate, you would see various beautiful landscapes, such as culture corridor, water plant area, are contributed to improve people’s awareness of protecting natural environment. Besides, restaurants and recreational facilities are built here for visitors’ convenience.
8. Health Bridge Wet Land
The Health Bridge Wetland, also known as “east Beijing large reeds” and “small Baiyangdian” in Beijing suburb, is considered to be the only existing large reed marsh wet land and home to various rare waterfowls. Hence it’s a paradise for birds lovers. With lush reeds and various animals and plants, it forms a unique and splendid landscape in Beijing. On the vast fields, wheat billows in the wind as splendid as sea. The park has three areas: wet land botanic garden, water recreational area and forest park. Walking along the wooden path, fish swim in the clean river and birds fly in the sky. It’s like a picture described in poem that drifting along the waves through lotuses and reeds, green mountains, white cloud, water birds and beautiful flowers perfectly integrated in distance.
9. Olympic Forest Park
Situated on the north to the Bird Nest and the Water Cube, the Olympic Forest Park enjoys high reputation in Beijing. Boasting total area of 680 hectares, it is known as the largest forest park and the first large urban park completely applying ecological energy-saving architecture technology. The park is divided into south park and north park by the 5th Ring Road. The landscape of north park covering an area of 300 hectares is natural ecological forest while the south park covering an area of 380 hectares is water landscape and wet land. Since two 10-kilometer runways are both available in north and south parks, it is a wonderland for Marathon enthusiasts. Especially on weekends, many people would to do some running here. Besides, since various flowers are planted the park, it is an ideal place for you to appreciate flowers, such as lilac, Chinese flowering crabapple, apricot, and cherry blossom. If you prefer to appreciate flowers in a tranquil place, then the south area of north park would be a better choice. And if you have enough time, you can walk along the Olympic Lake, which is a longest line to admire the beauty of flowers.
