A sprawling 312‑mu ecological woodland complex has opened to the public in Huaxin Town, Qingpu District, turning previously closed forest land into accessible green getaways for nearby villagers.

"I used to walk laps around my residential compound, where passing cars made it unsafe. Now that this woodland near my home is open, I come here every day to stroll and chat with neighbors," said a resident surnamed Wang from Luxiang Village, as she wandered along shaded forest trails.

Before the renovation, the thick woodland could only be admired from afar, with no public access paths. Local authorities launched a series of improvement projects, including forest tending work, trail resurfacing and new rest facilities, unlocking these once‑secluded wooded zones as open‑air leisure destinations.

Inside the newly‑opened woodland at Luxiang Village, dawn redwood and camphor trees form a thick, leafy canopy. Sunlight filters through branches onto winding fitness trails. Rest stops are scattered along the route, allowing visitors to pause and soak up fresh forest air.

Luxiang Village's green upgrade forms part of a wider town‑wide initiative. Since December 2025, Huaxin Town has selected well‑established forests in densely‑populated villages and transformed them into community‑oriented green spaces. The multi‑village project covers five administrative villages including Huayi, Luxiang, Xiulong, Huoxing and Zhuchang, with a combined land area of about 312 mu.

Lu Tingting, a staff member from Huaxin Town's greening management company, said workers optimized forest scenery through selective thinning, supplementary tree‑planting and habitat upgrades. New main and side entrances, asphalt walking trails, benches, viewing platforms and fitness stations have been built. A riverside landscape belt was also completed, creating public green zones that balance ecological conservation and outdoor recreation.

The open woodland project delivers far more than walking trails. At Xiulong Village, planners made clever use of under‑forest vacant land to build more than 120 eco‑friendly parking spaces, while fully preserving mature trees and their root systems. The new lots directly connect to surrounding residential roads, effectively solving long‑term parking shortages for nearby communities.

After years of transformation, formerly closed‑off woodland sites have become shared green spaces woven into residents' daily lives. Official data shows Huaxin Town now contains 688.27 hectares of woodland, 788.13 hectares of total forest coverage and 5,785.91 mu of public‑benefit forest, reaching a local forest‑coverage rate of 16.62 percent.

Huaxin Town will deploy its digital forest‑ranger platform for intelligent forest patrols, continuing to protect local ecological resources and sustain these shared green benefits for residents.