Eco-corridors are important links between natural habitats for wildlife to travel through. AECOM was selected as the conceptual masterplanner for the Dachang Eco-Corridor, one of six in Nanjing, China.
The Challenge
Masterplans for eco-corridors must consider both natural and human needs. Additionally, the Dachang ecological corridor is in the center of the biggest industrial area of Nanjing, which poses a number of potential contamination threats to mitigate.
Solutions and Involvement
To solve these problems, we established a series of strategies to recover and enhance the ecological function. The first stage includes all control elements for field management: water system management, green corridor control and recovery of existing building lots into green space. One important facet was the creation of a pollution protection buffer zone and ecological structure to secure the local environment. We provided water system design, ecological restoration and brownfield remediation services to create an environmental buffer for the neighboring residential areas.
Achievements and Outcomes
The primary focus of our involvement was to protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, while sustainably managing forests, combating desertification and halting biodiversity loss. An added bonus of the scheme was enhanced quality of life for residents and tourists through green spaces in urban areas.
We will aim to improve the ecological value in the second stage of the project through a series of water and landscape habitats to make a multi-functional green corridor. This will not only provide biodiversity habitats for local species, but also protect the surrounding community from contamination and provide them with local green space.
Our Work and the SDGs
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been adopted by countries to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. AECOM supports the SDGs. You can read AECOM’s Sustainability Report 2016 to learn more about how our work on clients’ projects, like this one, is helping transform the world.