Shandong Yellow River Rose Lake National Wetland Park

Shandong Yellow River Rose Lake National Wetland Park

Shandong Yellow River Rose Lake National Wetland Park is a national-level wetland park.

Rose Lake Wetland Park is located in the northwest of Pingyin County, adjacent to the Yellow River to the northwest, surrounded by mountains on the east and west sides, and close to the urban area of Pingyin to the southeast. Its planned area covers 26.5 square kilometers, with a core zone of 6.7 square kilometers.

The land here is low-lying and flat. Historically, it was used as a flood detention area for the Yellow River and an urban drainage zone, featuring distinct natural wetland characteristics with diverse flora and fauna. After the 1980s, excessive development led to a gradual reduction in the wetland area. During flood seasons with heavy rainfall, surrounding fish ponds were often inundated. In 2005, following instructions from provincial and municipal leaders and in line with the requirements of scientific development, the Pingyin County Party Committee and County Government decided to implement a comprehensive wetland protection project. The area is flanked by beautifully shaped, continuous mountain ranges to the east and west, and contains nearly 10,000 acres of fast-growing poplar forests. Within the zone, there are approximately 10,000 acres of water surfaces, including existing rivers, canals, fish ponds, and low-lying areas. Key infrastructure includes the Tianshan Electric Irrigation Project’s sedimentation basin and the city protection dike. A sewage treatment plant with a daily processing capacity of 60,000 tons is also located here. The South-to-North Water Diversion Jiping Main Canal runs through the project area. At the junction with the sedimentation basin, there is a sluice gate. Once the South-to-North Water Diversion Project is fully completed, water from the Yangtze River and the Yellow River will converge here. Additionally, 17 villages are distributed around the mountainous areas to the east and west.

According to records, this small village by the Yellow River was once the home of the Liangshan hero Ruan Xiaoer. Historically, this water system was connected to Dongping Lake, and Ruan Xiaoer is said to have traveled upstream from here to join Liangshan. The village was named “Ruan’er Village” after him.

Following the overall planning principles of making full use of and protecting existing resources, and combining centralized and decentralized layouts, the project area is planned with an overall structure of “one core, two belts, and three zones.” The “one core” refers to the “Lake Area Wetland Core Eco-Tourism Zone”; the “two belts” are the “Water Supply Source Function Belt” and the “Theme Park Tourism Belt”; the “three zones” consist of the “Development and Construction Zone,” the “Ecological Agriculture Zone,” and the “Mountain and Forest Greening Zone.” Within the framework of “one core, two belts, and three zones,” the area also includes a water tourism and leisure zone, an ecological wetland experience zone, a modern agriculture experience zone, a leisure resort zone, a forest park, the Meicheng Theme Park, an ecological agriculture sightseeing zone, and a village resettlement area. This location is designated as a planned 500-acre wetland biological purification zone. Treated water from the sewage plant undergoes further purification here to provide a reliable water supply for Rose Lake Wetland. Surrounding the wetland biological purification zone, the Theme Park Tourism Belt is planned for development. This area integrates Yellow River culture, rose culture, and ecological landscapes into a composite scenic destination characterized by theme parks. This location is planned to be the Yellow River Theme Park, where you can clearly see the only right-angle landscape in the Yellow River basin. Standing here, you can witness the magnificent sight of the surging Yellow River.

Key tourist attractions in the Rose Lake Wetland plan include: the Yellow River Sunset, Ecological Farmsteads, Rose Flower Beach, Wetland Scenery, Sedimentation and Wild Geese, Ziya Fishing Spot, Theme Park, Lake Island, Lakeside Mountain Cottages, Waterfront Corridor, and more. It is believed that once completed, these attractions will captivate visitors. Based on ecology, themed around water, and focused on tourism, leisure, and experiential learning, the Rose Lake Wetland presents the vision of “Jade Mountains, Yellow River, and Crystal Lakes; Rose Groves and Wetlands; Natural Fields and Countryside Homes.” It is a key project in creating a garden-style mountain-water city and enhancing the urban image. This wetland ecological park complements the Queshan Longhu Lake to the north and south, together forming two shining pearls of the “Jinan Hundred-Mile Yellow River Scenic Area.”

—, also known as the Rose Research Institute Experimental Garden. Located 11 kilometers southwest of Pingyin County in Taocun Village, it covers an area of 4.67 hectares. Originally established in 1959, after the founding of the Rose Research Institute, 2.42 hectares of land were acquired near Xitang Village, encompassing areas of Xitang, Beishixia, Xihuozhuang, and Xiagou villages, to build the garden for variety comparison and planting distance observation experiments of roses. Starting in 1960, the garden introduced Bulgarian red and white roses, as well as Soviet perfume rose varieties No. 1, 2, 3, and 4, for experimental cultivation. In 1967, the garden was relocated to the east of Xiagou Village, south of Luozhai Reservoir, covering an area of 2.08 hectares, and included a specimen garden, experimental garden, and aromatic plant cultivation garden. The specimen garden planted six rose varieties imported from Bulgaria and the Soviet Union, 17 domestic varieties from various regions, and three local varieties. Various scientific experiments were conducted in the experimental garden, leading to the development of a complete set of rose seedling cultivation and pest control techniques, as well as the completion of multiple scientific studies.

In 1987, the Rose Research Institute acquired another 4.67 hectares of land in Taocun Village to build a new garden. The newly built garden expanded the planting scale, bringing nearly 30 domestic and international rose varieties together in one place, creating a rose kingdom that is convenient for both scientific research and public viewing. Every year around mid-May during the blooming season, red, white, purple, and yellow roses bloom competitively, showcasing single and double petals with intoxicating fragrances, attracting crowds of visitors to stop and admire.