By the end of 2025, Qingdao had established 1,048 parks — including 330 urban parks, 704 pocket parks, and 14 forest parks — making the vision of "stepping out into green" a daily reality. Known as the city of a thousand parks, Qingdao is integrating ecology, production, and life into a cohesive urban setting.

In densely populated urban areas, every inch is valuable. The city has introduced the "Qingxiaoyuan" pocket park brand, with over 600 named parks included in a dedicated map guide and integrated into Amap for easy navigation. These small green areas offer residents a 20-minute park escape, providing a simple ecological benefit in daily life.

As a key project for 2026, Qingdao plans to build more than 20 new pocket parks, including at least five pet-friendly ones. Neighborhood micro-gardens — 50 of them — will be co-created with residents, encouraging shared design, management, and maintenance.

This spring, Qingdao launched an interactive blossom map, combining flower viewing with fruit picking and nature education. The annual park+ initiative will host over 380 events this year, integrating culture, markets, and sports into park spaces. Signature events such as the Taiping Mountain Fair, cherry blossom festivals, and autumn chrysanthemum exhibitions will continue to enrich the city's park culture.

From "parks in the city" to a "city in the park", Qingdao is redefining urban life — where green is not just scenery but a way of living.

Known as the "city of a thousand parks", Qingdao weaves ecology, production, and life into a seamless urban fabric. [Photo/Guanhai News]