Around Dianchi Lake in China: A Green Belt for a Blue Future
In the Yunnan province, southwest of China, Dianchi Lake stretches out like a calm mirror of water. But this apparent tranquility hides a profound transformation: with its new 137-kilometer green belt, the largest freshwater lake in the region is becoming a living laboratory for applied ecology. Led by the city of Kunming, this project embodies a strong will: to protect, restore, and give new life to the landscapes of tomorrow.
It's not just a simple path along a lake: it's a new breath for ecology, culture, and local development. Dianchi Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Yunnan province, has recently been surrounded by an ambitious project: a 137-kilometer greenway, a concrete embodiment of Xi Jinping's thought on ecological civilization, and a pillar of the "Yunnan Green and Beautiful" project.
Partially opened since January 2025, this tourist and ecological belt connects cities, villages, and natural spaces, while giving the region a new harmony between humans and nature.
A Beacon Project for the Entire Region
The Dianchi greenway is a symbol of the "Lake Revolution" and is not just a simple infrastructure: it is designed as an emerald necklace encircling the aquatic jewel of Yunnan. At the same time, it serves as an ecological barrier, an urban landscape corridor, and a cultural promenade, reflecting a strong ambition: to make Dianchi a "reception hall" for a world-class plateau city.
Designed according to four guiding principles (coordinated governance, ecological security, local adaptation, and cultural valorization), the greenway is part of a sustainable and territorial approach. It already connects 46 key villages and 183 natural hamlets, generating a leverage effect for local development and the revaluation of natural environments.
The impact is quickly being felt. Four major results illustrate the scope of this ambitious project:
- Defining a clear ecological boundary: the greenway serves as a physical limit to the central protection zone of the lake. Result: 2.84 km² of additional ecological space integrated into protection, representing a 10% annual growth.
- Promoting integrated territorial governance: the route crosses mountains, wetlands, forests, and rice fields — each treated with differentiated landscape approaches. This has enabled the restoration of ecosystems, improved water quality, and protected biodiversity, strengthening the stability of the territory.
- Connecting culture and nature: the green belt connects eight major wetland parks, two historic villages (such as Wolongpu), and about twenty picturesque villages. The "Green Belt +" approach combines heritage and ecology, transforming the promenade into a cultural journey.
- Creating an immersive experience: 13 iconic bridges, called the "Multicolored Cloud Bridges," offer panoramic views and symbolize the natural elements of the territory. 30 observation platforms, historical reconstructions, bike rides, and cultural festivals punctuate the route, creating a new tourist attraction for the region.
A Replicable Model for China and Beyond
But beyond the numbers, it's the human element that brings this green belt to life. Moreover, ecological tourism also stimulates new forms of local employment: guides, artisans, hoteliers, or organic producers. Children from surrounding hamlets discover their own heritage by bike, while seniors engage in photography or sustainable fishing along the promenade.
Image 1: Dianchi Lake Image 2: Greenway Image 3: Multicolored Cloud Bridges Image 4: Observation Platform Image 5: Cultural Festival Image 6: Bike Ride Image 7: Sustainable Fishing Image 8: Dianchi Lake at Sunset
This is to say that the Dianchi greenway proves that ecology, far from hindering development, can be its central driver. By connecting urban and rural areas, valorizing local culture, and restoring natural landscapes, Kunming shows the way to a sustainable and inclusive future.
And in a few years, when the 137 kilometers are fully completed, it will be an entire region that will have changed its face. More than a development project, it's a new pact between humans, territory, and nature that is being written here, on the shores of Dianchi Lake's misty waters.
