Located in downtown Yiling, Yichang, the 89-hectare Xiaoxita Forest Park serves as a critical green lung along the Huangbai River. This project transforms a forest long burdened by chaotic circulation, outdated facilities, and fragmentation into a vibrant model of sustainable landscape regeneration. The park harmonizes public use with biodiversity conservation.

Guided by the philosophy "Touching the Earth Lightly," the design preserved 100% of the site’s native trees. Pathways and activity spaces were woven into existing clearings, minimizing earthwork. Permeable paving, including locally quarried stone and grass-inlaid slabs, allows natural rainwater infiltration. 

A key intervention was the ecological restoration of gray infrastructure. Through stakeholder collaboration, the derelict pump house and underused parking areas were removed. This effort returned over 1,200 square meters to permeable grassland. This act restored the forest’s visual connection to the city and created a new habitat corridor.
Embracing a minimal-intervention approach, the Mid-Hill Rest Stop is elevated on pinpoint pillars, avoiding soil compaction and protecting tree roots while offering visitors a bird’s-eye canyon view. Lighting fixtures double as “bird-house” habitats for local birds, and local crushed stone is used throughout for paving and low walls, grounding the design in its regional context.

The redesigned park features a multi-level landscape with riverfront promenades, forest clearings, and hillside platforms. It preserves all native trees and features native plant coverage exceeding 95%. Now welcoming over 2,000 visitors daily, it supports diverse activities and community well-being. The park also serves as an open-air classroom, with educational signs embedded in native stone walls to promote environmental awareness without disrupting the scenery.

By prioritizing ecological integrity as the foundation for public space, Xiaoxita Forest Park demonstrates a replicable methodology for developing resilient, highly sensitive urban landscapes—where human activity not only avoids harm but actively nurtures natural systems.