Jiangmen Heshan Gonghe Park

Project Profile

1. Project Statement

Jiangmen Gonghe Ecological Park is located in the central planning area of Gonghe Town, Jiangmen City, adjacent to the Jianghe Expressway, covering an area of 260,000 square meters.

2. Objective and Challenge

The surrounding mountains are covered with Eucalyptus camaldulensis, commonly used in highway greening. The terrain is complex, with three low-lying, open ponds in the center, containing several small islands and shores with slopes and mudflats. Due to long-term monoculture planting, other plant species have been excluded, severely disrupting the ecological balance. The method of planting eucalyptus has led to increasing soil erosion rates, nearly drying up the water bodies, and resulting in malnourished and sub-healthy soil conditions. Without intervention, the land's condition is concerning.

3. Design Strategy

We aim to create a low-maintenance or even maintenance-free natural environment—a park that can grow on its own, adjusting through its mechanisms to restore an attractive and vibrant Lingnan ecological landscape.

The park's construction focuses on improving the degraded soil environment to fundamentally address ecological deficiencies. By removing the Eucalyptus camaldulensis forest and establishing a more complete native plant base, the soil's "health" can gradually be restored. The arboreal layer will feature a mix of native trees such as banyan, lychee, kapok, Michelia alba, yellow flame trees, and Bauhinia. The shrub and ground cover will include vigorous flowers and grasses like azaleas, melastoma, vetiver grass, reeds, Miscanthus, Pennisetum, and Imperata cylindrica, with bamboo and banana trees interspersed. This diverse subtropical plant community will rebuild ecological balance and achieve self-regulation.

For the site's water bodies, the designers adopted a low-interference approach, following the natural gradient, building dams, constructing bridges, planting a variety of aquatic plants along the shores, and creating ecological corridors to provide favorable conditions for wildlife. The terraced ponds will collect rainwater, irrigate the surrounding green spaces, and significantly impact the park's landscape and ecological environment.

Artificial facilities and walkways in the park are based on restoring the ecological environment. By incorporating zigzag bridges, viewing platforms, docks, pavilions, dams, and boardwalks, visitors can have a rich and enjoyable experience. To minimize the negative impact of artificial construction on the natural environment, most materials for the artificial elements come from locally available resources in Gonghe Town, such as bamboo, wood, and rough stones. The construction techniques used are also those commonly used locally. This approach is cost-effective yet full of rustic charm.