Jiuli Lake National Wetland Park

Jiuli Lake National Wetland Park

Jiuli Lake National Wetland Park is a national-level wetland park.

Jiangsu Jiuli Lake National Wetland Park is situated in the northwest of Xuzhou’s main urban area. It earned its name from the scenic combination of the lake and Jiuli Mountain, and was created from land subsidence caused by coal mining at the Pangzhuang Coal Mine. Since the 1980s, Pangzhuang Coal Mine has suffered from ground collapses due to mining voids, resulting in the abandonment of fertile land, cracked residential buildings, interrupted transportation, and village relocations. To improve the living and working conditions of residents affected by coal mining subsidence and enhance the urban ecological environment, planning and construction of Jiuli Lake Wetland began in 2006. It was also included as one of the key components of the revitalization of Xuzhou’s old industrial base and the comprehensive management of coal mining subsidence areas, and was prioritized under the Sino-German Eco-Partnership Agreement for the Xuzhou Eco-Demonstration City project. In 2013, it was approved as a pilot national wetland park. In 2016, further upgrades were carried out and it was listed as a key municipal construction project. The project was fully completed in May 2017.

The total area of the wetland park is 250.62 hectares, including a wetland conservation zone of 73.61 hectares, a restoration and reconstruction zone of 125.34 hectares, an education and exhibition zone of 22.89 hectares, a rational use zone of 26.86 hectares, and a management and service zone of 1.92 hectares. The combined area of the conservation and restoration zones is 198.95 hectares, accounting for 79.39% of the total park area.

The development of Jiuli Lake Wetland strictly adheres to the overall plan, fully preserving and utilizing existing resources and vegetation. By adding aquatic plants and moisture-tolerant conifers with colorful foliage, it creates diverse wetland habitats. Water systems have been interconnected through culvert projects to establish a healthy aquatic ecosystem. Increased plant diversity provides an optimal wetland environment for various species, achieving the goals of wetland conservation and restoration, eco-tourism, and leisure activities. In 2015, it was awarded the "China Habitat Environment Example Award."