Xuecun Ecotourism Site

　　　　(I) General Information

　　　　Xuecun is situated in the southeast of Banqiao Town, Ninghe County. It currently has 1,500 mu of arable land, 100 mu of residential area, and is home to 70 households with a population of 243. The village has built 38 protected-area greenhouses, 100 improved medium-sized sheds, 3 agricultural wells, and one pumping station, all of which ensure that the farmland can be irrigated during droughts and drained during floods. A rural road runs through the village, and farmland paths extend in all directions, lined with lush trees on both sides. There are no pollution sources around the village. It has been recognized by municipal authorities as a pollution-free vegetable production base and a municipal-level ecological village, possessing outstanding advantages for developing sightseeing and tourism sites.

　　　　(II) Completed Projects

　　　　As of now, the following projects have been completed at this tourism site:

　　　　1. Starting from the winter of 2007, 300 mu of land were prepared for building vegetable greenhouses, 38 ditches were cleared, 270,000 cubic meters of earth were moved, with a total investment of 310,000 yuan.

　　　　2. Roadside greening has been completed along 4,600 meters, with 2,400 trees planted, including species such as dragon claw locust and holly.

　　　　3. For the greening of paths within the park, 1,200 low-growing evergreen plants have been selected and planted.

　　　　4. To beautify and green the shed area, 200 apricot and plum trees have been planted around it.

　　　　5. Grass carp, carp, and crucian carp fry totaling 50,000 have been released in the main channels around the village in preparation for fishing activities.

　　　　6. All lotus flowers for ornamental purposes have been planted.

　　　　(III) Ongoing Projects

　　　　1. By late May, hardware facilities for the fishing area such as fishing platforms and sunshades will be completed, along with 100 meters of paved brick road (4-meter width), and several guide signs will be installed. The planned investment is 30,000 yuan.

　　　　2. In May, a parking lot covering 1,000 square meters and a public toilet will be constructed. The site has been selected between the new and old shed areas. The planned investment is 30,000 yuan, with completion by the end of May.

　　　　3. A specialty agricultural products shopping point will be established.

　　　　4. Plant varieties will be further optimized to prepare for agritainment combining fruit picking and sightseeing.

　　　　5. An investment of 50,000 yuan is planned to further improve the hardware and environment for fishing, providing visitors with a beautiful and comfortable tourism setting.

　　　　All the above ongoing projects are expected to be completed by July 30, 2008.

　　　　The development of this tourism site can drive the growth of tourism in Hedong, Ninghe County, and link up with Guide Holiday Resort, Tianshun Pavilion, and Banqiao Forest Park to form a tourist route, which is set to become a highlight for boosting the regional economy in the Hedong area.