North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region enacted a set of regulations on protecting desert poplar forests on June 11, in Ejin Banner, the westernmost part of the region. 

The desert poplar is a rare tree species. In Inner Mongolia, it mainly grows in Ejin Banner, Alxa League, with an area of about 29,600 hectares. The forests play an important role in protecting the oasis in Ejin as well as maintaining the desert ecosystems.

The regulations, elaborated in 44 articles of six chapters, list out the duties and tasks of various departments at different levels and stipulate 11 specific measures. According to the regulations, compensations will be made whenever there is damage in the roots and stumps of desert poplar trees, or any excessive pruning to such trees.

In recent years, the desert poplar forests in the region have rejuvenated with great efforts made in ecological construction. The vegetation has recovered rapidly with richer biodiversity. At present, the forest coverage at desert poplar reserves has reached 74.4 percent, and the vegetation coverage of grassland has increased from eight percent in 2002 to 12 percent in 2020.

(Cover image is a screenshot.)

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