Hemu Agricultural Expo Park

Hemu Agricultural Expo Park

Hemu Agricultural Expo Park is a national AAA-level tourist attraction.

Jiangsu Hemu Agricultural Expo Park was established in October 2003. Located in Bianshi Town, Jurong City, Jiangsu Province, it currently covers an area of nearly 5,000 acres with a total investment of over 200 million RMB. It has now developed into a comprehensive agricultural and forestry science and technology demonstration park with multiple functional zones, integrating internship and training, scientific research and development, production and operation, science education, and agro-ecological tourism.

Soilless turf mats were first developed by our institute and hold multiple national patents. They feature advantages such as “lightweight, weed-free, high purity, and fast establishment,” and are hailed as an “instant lawn.” The demonstration area covers 40,000 square meters. The turf bed is designed to suit the terrain, with 100% coverage of highly efficient water-saving irrigation. It can produce 4–5 crops per year. The soilless turf mat project has been designated by the Jiangsu Provincial Government as a leading agricultural industry in the Ningzhen Hills region and has won the Second Prize for Agricultural Science and Technology Progress from the “China Shennong” Awards.

The Ecological Avenue is approximately 600 meters long and was praised by renowned grassland scientist Academician Ren Jizhou as the “No. 1 Road under Heaven.” Located near Songtao Lake, it resembles a green ribbon gracefully stretching across the southeastern part of the park. Constructed using internationally advanced mixed sowing techniques, it remains evergreen all year round, boasts distinctive features, and is eco-friendly. Along both sides of the avenue are the Jiangsu Provincial Nursery Germplasm Gene Bank and the Turfgrass Germplasm Gene Bank, which house around 860 tree species and over 80 varieties of ornamental grasses.

The construction of the park has consistently adhered to the principles of technological advancement in projects, state-of-the-art facilities, exemplary benefits, standardized management, and close integration of industry, academia, and research. After nearly 10 years of development, a number of projects have been established in the park, including the National Breeding Center for Xiaomeishan Pigs, the Jiangsu Provincial High-Quality Forage Seed Breeding Base for Southern Hilly and Mountainous Areas, the Jiangsu Provincial Nursery Germplasm Resource Gene Bank, the Jiangsu Provincial Turfgrass Germplasm Resource Gene Bank, the Biotechnology Research and Development Center, the Soilless Turf Mat Production Demonstration Zone, the Internship Dairy Processing Plant, the Jiangsu Provincial College Entrance Examination Question Setting Center, the Container Cultivation Farm, the Forestry-Poultry Work Area, the Circular Agriculture Zone, the Jiangsu Provincial Edible Fungi Research Institute, the Urban Agriculture Pavilion, the Modern Agriculture Pavilion, the Colorful Farming Area, and the Outdoor Training Base.

On June 18, 2004, Minister Zhou Ji and Vice Minister Wu Qidi of the Ministry of Education, along with over 30 vice governors from across the country and more than 300 representatives attending the National Vocational Education Conference, visited the park. The distinctive integration of industry, academia, and research received high praise from the attendees. Former Jiangsu Provincial Party Secretary Li Yuanchao, Governor —, Deputy Party Secretary Zhang Lianzhen, Vice Governor Wang Zhan, Vice Governor Huang Lixin, and others conducted research at the park and spoke highly of it. Governor —, during his inspection on September 9, 2004, remarked: “We are cultivating talent welcomed by society, fostering industries that enrich farmers, providing services needed by rural residents, and delivering education that satisfies the people.”

Taking soilless turf mats as an example, through production research and promotion, our institute has obtained five national patents and won eight provincial and municipal science and technology progress awards. Soilless turf mats have now been promoted to more than ten provinces, including Shanghai and Zhejiang, with an annual promotion area of over 1.2 million square meters. In 2010, they received the highest award from the Ministry of Agriculture’s “Shenlong Award” and were listed by the Jiangsu Provincial Government as a priority industry for development in the Ningzhenyang Hills region. They have made significant contributions to increasing farmers’ income, adjusting the agricultural industrial structure, and serving agriculture, rural areas, and farmers. Additionally, the park undertakes the internship and training of approximately 6,000 students majoring in agriculture, forestry, and animal husbandry each year, as well as training for about 10,000 agricultural officials from surrounding provinces and cities.

In summary, with the increased attention and investment from higher-level governments and leaders, Jiangsu Agricultural Expo Park will become a site for student internships, a platform for faculty research, a window for technological demonstration, a leader in industrial development, a base for science popularization, and a scenic destination for agro-ecological tourism.

Bianshi Town: Established as Bianshi Commune in 1959, restructured as a township in 1983, and upgraded to a town in 1986. Located in the southeastern part of the city, it is 45 kilometers from the municipal government. Covering an area of 45 square kilometers with a population of 31,000, it is traversed by the Weishui River, Chaoyang River, and Tanggang River. The town administers 32 villages and communities including Wuzhangsan, Sanzhou, Beijiang, Donghupuo Er, Donghupuo San, Huangdong, Xi Yi, Xi Er, Datong, Chengbei, Liuji, Xiabo, Aquaculture, Tengma, Chengdong, Chengnan, Chengxi, Huajia, Donggao, Wuzhang Yi, Wuzhang Er, Guoguanzhuang, Niguan, Zhanglian, Fengguanzhuang, Wuguan, Liuguan, Huguan, Donghupuo Yi, Banshi, Banshidong, and Jiehe... More detailed information about Bianshi Town++