Urban camping sites coming to the Pudong New Area

Ti Gong

Camping on the East Bund and caravanning in forests could become a reality in Pudong.

Under a newly drafted plan, certain locations on the East Bund and Huangpu River waterfront in Pudong would become urban camping sites, said Liu Jun, deputy director of the Pudong Ecology and Environment Bureau.

“We plan to plant trees in sections without commercial facilities and build plank roads between trees," she said. "On the plank roads, we plan to put up some tents, allowing people to sit in the dappled shade, breathe in fresh air and enjoy beautiful views of the Huangpu River. We just submitted the plan for approval a few days ago. We hope to get it started this year, because we think these sites would be popular."

Second-phase construction of Shanghai Binjiang Forest Park is scheduled for completion by the end of this year, Liu said.

The park, in northern Pudong’s Gaoqiao Town, opened to the public in 2007 as the city’s most tree-intensive park with 90 percent forest coverage. Natural forests, islands and wetlands dot the 1.17-square-kilometer park.

Second-phase construction covers an area of 1.84 square kilometers. Basic facilities have been built and most of the vegetation has been planted.

“We have planted many local plants to display and protect local species and ecosystem,” Liu said.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Pudong hopes to improve parks across every district. Over the next five years, it aims to add 100 kilometers of greenways, 15 square kilometers of green lands and 0.25 square kilometers of vertical green displays.