In order to highlight the ecological feature and build a beautiful, harmonious and inhabitable eco-city, the plan adheres to the principle of environmental protection first, respects the local, natural, ecological conditions, adopts appropriate methods for ecological rehabilitation and reconstruction to restore the natural water system, wetland and plantation, and constructs a compound ecosystem with multi-tiered water systems and green network as the framework. Taking the region closed by the Ji Canal and its former watercourse as the ecological core area, it plans to build six ecological corridors, strengthen the link between the ecological core area and the peripheric ecosystems to form an open pattern and to boost the integration of regional ecosystems.
Regional Ecological Pattern
According to the ecological pattern specified in Tianjin Urban Overall Planning, it will retain the large ecological wetland at the estuary of the southwestern water system to from a compound aquatic ecosystem striped by seawater and freshwater; set aside the habitat for birds' migration at Qilihai Wetland to ensure the continuation of "Dahuangpu-Qilihai" wetland area stretching to the beach; wholly reserve the former watercourse of the Ji Canal to guarantee the smooth connection of Ji County Natural Reserve in the north to Bohai Bay Corridor and to form a regional ecological network with rivers as its arteries and veins.
Inside the eco-city, wedge-shaped green areas will be built along the watercourse and wetland to form an ecological corridor connecting the region; greenbelts will be set up along both banks of the Ji Canal, Tianjin-Hangu Highway and other external-access roads to provide an ecological barrier for the eco-city; a green corridor system covering a vast area will be constructed together with the bicycle land and walking lane to build a multi-tiered ecosystem pattern with "reservoir-river-wetland-green land". The local vegetation index will be no less than 0.7.
Rehabilitation of Water Ecosystem
The plan puts forward the implementation of regional coordination and it strengthens the discharge control over the reaches of the Jin Canal. Various measures will be taken to harness the former watercourse of the Ji Canal, the water body and sludge of current waste reservoir. Ecological water front will be adopted along the former watercourse and the artificial channel of the Ji Canal so as to decrease human disturbance to the environment. Based on the current water system and artificial channel, a circulating water system will take its shape integrating natural intensified circulation, artificial intensified circulation and natural circulation into one.
Soil Improvement
It plans to adjust measures to local conditions, and improve the saline-alkaline soil with filling, dredging and alkine drainage as well as biological improvement etc. to restore the coastal ecosystem, to establish floras adaptable to the local conditions, to create luxuriant green landscape, and exert the exemplary role of a national model in saline-alkaline rehabilitation and ecological construction. At the same time, it resumes the construction of two habitats for birds, Parrot Cay and White Heron Cay, as well as the succession area in Yongding Cay.
