A local resident sits on the grass in Arding Botanical Garden in
Baotou. The botanical garden, located at the downtown area, brings
a touch of nature to
Inner Mongolia's biggest industrial
city.?
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Vegetation in the Arding Botanical Garden. Baotou is the only city
in northern China to be awarded the title of "State Forest City"
along with a slew of other titles including the 2002 Dubai
International Award for Best Practices to Improve the Living
Environment, UN-Habitat Scroll of Honor Awards, and the All-China
Environment Award. These successes derive from careful municipal
strategy to accelerate economic development and improve living
standards all while also bringing about sustainable
development.
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People stroll along a broad alley in Arding Botanical Garden's
eastern park. The botanical garden is divided into east and west
parks, running alongside a main road.
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This sculpture named "Wu Fu Lin Men" signifies the coming of good
luck. The botanic garden was opened to the public free of charge in
2005.
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People are fishing or resting on the banks of a lake in the Arding
Botanical Garden. The garden offers a range of areas to enjoy,
including a popular plants section, a research and development
zone, artificial lakes, a conservatory and flower gardens.
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A poplar forest in the west of the Arding Botanical Garden. By the
end of 2006, green areas in Baotou accounted for 6,190 ha with the
per capita common green land amounting to 12.67 sq m, 4.78 sq m
more than the national average, according to the Baotou Municipal
Committee of Construction.
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A rainbow brightens the fountain sprays in the Arding Botanical
Garden. Statistics from the Baotou Environmental Protection Bureau
show that the city enjoyed 267 days of level-II or above average
air quality in 2006, 26 days more than Beijing's 241.
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(China.org.cn by Zhang Tingting July 26, 2007)
