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Beijing setting solid benchmark for green Olympics says Diane Menzies, president of International Federation of Landscape Architects

18th June 2007

The main feature of Beijing's green and sustainable contribution to the Games is the 680ha Olympic Forest Park, Menzies said after the
international landscape architecture summit in Beijing.

The man-made Olympic Park is like a giant green-lung in the centre of
the Chinese capital. The park is part of a 1215ha green area in and around the Olympic zone.

The green Olympic area includes the new Bird's Nest National
Stadium, the Olympics Sports Centre, the National Stadium, National
Indoor Stadium, National Hockey field, the National Tennis Centre, the
Olympic village, the Main Press Centre and 20 other major Olympic venues.

Menzies, IFLA delegates from 14 countries and Chinese and Tshinghua
University landscape architects attended the Beijing world summit.

“It is a sign of the times that organisers of such major events like
the Olympic Games are aware of the footprint they make and the Chinese
people have set a new benchmark in this regard,” she said.

The Olympic park's green mass will reduce sand and dust pollution and
trade oxygen for carbon dioxide which will help mitigate the heat effect that plagues concrete-laden Beijing - providing a kind of 'green lung' for the city.

The park's lake water will be recycled from the city's sewers through a
wetland which is a necessity considering Beijing's severe drought.
Locals, visitors and Olympic athletes will be able to swim in the lake.

“Many of the building programmes are in dispute whether they are good
or bad for the city image but there is no doubt that everyone supports
the greening of the city.”