Nanhu Greenway: A must-visit place for everyone in ZUEL craving for a morning jog and a sunset stroll!

Have you ever noticed anything different on Nanhu Campus in the 2021 Fall semester?

The beautiful walkway, painted in iconic “Optics Valley” blue, extends all the way along the tree-surrounded lake.  Initiated in December, 2020, the Nanhu Greenway program is now expecting its final completion after 9 months of construction. Once finished, the program will indeed benefit us all.

Located in the west side of the Campus, southeast corner of the Nanhu Lake, the 1.5- kilometer-long Greenway serves as part of the Nanhu Yezhi Lake Greenways which extend for about 21.73 kilometers, with Xiuqiushan Mountain standing on the north and Shizishan Mountain on the west.  

With Huazhong Agricultural University situated on the other side of the lake, the west part of the Nanhu campus boasts natural beauty and pleasant environment on a par with that in South China featuring lovely small bridges and streams. The design of the Greenway takes full use of the lakeshore scenery and combines with university distinctiveness. Along the tree-lined Greenway, you can see 9 varieties of arbor, such as metasequoia, triadica sebifera and cherry blossom tree, as well as 18 types of ground cover plants like iris germanica and canna generalis. It is also dotted with various artistic decorations. There are 3 major sections, namely, Garden Path, Nanhu Square, and Lakeside Pinewoods.

01. Garden Path

We build the Greenway along the Huanhu Road so as to keep pedestrians and cyclists safe without disturbing drivers of vehicles.

02. Nanhu Square

Stone benches can be found by the Lake, coupled with the tall shady trees.

The square covers a wide area in which the faculty and students can have access to the lawn for multiple purposes. Even better, the Square is equipped with water supply and electricity facilities, making it convenient to set up stage for various activities when necessary. To better understand the ZUEL history, we also plan to showcase the inscription of timelines on these stone benches.

03. Lakeside Pinewoods

For those who usually walk around the Lake for the sunset, this place should be no stranger to you. Now, this area has gone through tremendous changes.

Some small bands have already held live music shows here. Are you one of the lucky ones to appreciate these romantic melodies exclusive to ZUEL?  

Imagine this: leaves of pine trees whirling in the breeze while the sun shed its final golden glow over the Lake.

The newly built Nanhu Greenway will benefit both Zuelers and the ecological environment, according to Zhou Junjie, the director of Campus Construction Department at ZUEL. First, it improves life quality on campus by offering attractive and livable environment. Second, as a pivotal program in improving the water quality of the Nanhu Lake, it reduces diffuse pollution by integrating measures of environmental governance with landscape upgrading, in an effort to keep the Nanhu Lake clean.

It would be a great idea to take a stroll or a gathering along the Greenway with your friends and enjoy the astounding beauty of the golden sunset. Come and check it out!