The Yongan River Green Route is situated in a small mountainous county 200 kilometres from the capital city, Hangzhou. The green route is 112 Kilometres long and stretches along the Yongan River. The Green Route connects the county town of Xianju with five other rural towns, and 87 villages.
Compared with the many traditional green routes in other cities, it is innovative because not only is it extensive with its benefits covering many communities but it also has multiple roles. It covers the functions of transport, ecological preservation, leisure, scientific research, and linking urban and rural areas. It also provides more than 500 direct jobs and more than 1,000 indirect jobs to the nearby villages. In 2015, China’s Ministry of Construction conferred the award of “the Model for Chinese Living Environment”. In 2016, it received more than 1 million tourists and the number is expected to grow in the future.