A New City Taking Shape Through Greening

On April 7, near the Airport Economic Zone Industrial Park in Yunnan Dian Zhong New Area, the Magnolia delavayi trees transplanted last winter for conservation purposes had already sprouted new leaves. These native tree species, rescued and relocated from land acquired for major projects, have successfully weathered the winter under meticulous care, serving as a vivid example to the New Area's broader push to expand urban greenery and promote environmentally sustainable development. Currently, the green coverage rate in the built-up areas directly administered by the New Area has risen from 23.8% in 2022 to 30.14%, with a cumulative total of 56.27 hectares of green space developed, along with the completion of 43 pocket parks, 18 green and beautiful communities, and 11 kilometers of ecological greenways.

Adhering to the principle of "cost-effective greening," the New Area has established its own professional landscaping team and widely utilized native species such as Magnolia delavayi, Chinese Pistache, and Ginkgo. During winter, an average of 24 operational vehicles and 68 front-line maintenance personnel were deployed daily to carry out winter protection measures for over 3,800 trees. In 2025, each of the 22 communities received a special fund of 200,000 RMB to address 137 community-level concerns, including road paving and park renovations, identified through door-to-door consultations. The area has also piloted a reduced leaf-clearing approach, allowing fallen leaves to remain in some areas longer to balance landscape aesthetics with ecological benefits.

Green Spaces Within Easy Reach

With the vision of becoming an industrial garden, the Zhongguancun Electronics City (Kunming) Science and Technology Industrial Park has cultivated over 20 plant species across its four zones, including Camphor, Cherry Blossom, and Celtis Tetrandra. The total green space spans 85,000 square meters, achieving a green coverage rate of 21% and a vegetation coverage rate exceeding 65%. The park's property management implements a meticulous maintenance system based on "zone-based responsibility, daily inspections, and quarterly evaluations," ensuring a plant survival rate above 98% and creating a landscape that features "blossoms in three seasons and greenery all year round."

The park encourages enterprises to participate collectively in greening and beautification efforts, creating distinctive mini-landscapes with plant arrangements at their doorsteps under the "One Enterprise, One Landscape" initiative. As a result, employees now enjoy greener views and easy access to park space in their daily work environment. Moving forward, the park will continue to refine its smart maintenance systems and add depth and variety to its landscaping, establishing itself as a green ecological hallmark of high-quality development.

Enhancing Urban Beautification with Improved Efficiency

The New Area's Urban Operation Management Service Center has innovatively implemented the "54321" urban management model. Under the "City Steward" project, it conducts deep cleaning across approximately 2.3 million square meters covering 78 roads and around 56,000 square meters spanning 17 pocket parks. Concurrently, it has completed the landscaping renovation of 150,000 square meters along Chenghuang Road and the creation of four landscaped nodes at road terminals. Additionally, four sets of New Area identity signage have been installed to enhance the landscape effect of Yingbin Road near the airport.

Taking advantage of major projects such as the expansion and renovation of Kunming Changshui International Airport and the Central Yunnan Water Diversion Project, nearly 2,000 trees and seedlings have been salvaged and transplanted. It has also carried out a special street-lighting campaign, bringing nearly 1,008 streetlights into operation along 20 roads, alongside concurrent efforts in road surface repair, replacement of guardrails and manhole covers, and mitigation of waterlogging points and slope hazards. The development of a smart urban service management system is being accelerated to advance the modernization of urban governance.

Green and Beautiful Campuses Nurturing Young Minds

The Yiyun Primary School affiliated with the Kunming Southwest Associated University Research Institute boasts a green coverage rate of 35.01%. The school has planted 28 plant species, crafting a seasonal landscape where "spring offers blossoms, summer provides shade, autumn displays foliage, and winter showcases plum blossoms." Each plant species is accompanied by an "identity tag" detailing its name, classification, and characteristics, transforming the campus into a "natural museum without walls."

The school has established a dual maintenance mechanism involving regular professional care and active participation by teachers and students, with tailored conservation plans for each tree. Under teacher guidance, students adopt vegetable plots and engage in activities such as planting, watering, and weeding, thereby cultivating a sense of responsibility and observational skills through hands-on activities. This approach seamlessly integrates green campus development with ecological education.

Adding Greenery Wherever Space Allows

Yunnan Dian Zhong New Area has systematically inventoried idle, marginal, and underutilized urban land parcels, and based on local conditions, has developed 44 pocket parks, 2 green and beautiful blocks, 5 green and beautiful streets, and 11 kilometers of greenways. The area's green space ratio has risen from 23.8 percent to 30.17 percent, with a total of 13,000 trees planted and more than 400,000 square meters of shrubs and ground cover added.

While enhancing greenery, the New Area has concurrently upgraded "urban furniture" such as benches, street lamps, and signage, making the vision of "green views from windows and garden access at doorsteps" a tangible reality. Moving forward, efforts will focus on filling gaps, refining maintenance practices, and revitalizing more micro-spaces to steadily augment the New Area's ecological assets.

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(Editors: Jennifer, Rachel)