On August 24, 2021, Chinese President Xi Jinping inspected Saihanba Forest Farm in north China's Hebei Province. Saihanba is considered to be a miracle as it has been transformed from barren land to lush forest through the extraordinary efforts of three generations of Chinese people.

Saihanba was previously been home to abundant forest resources and high biodiversity 400 years ago. With a cool summer and lush vegetation, the area was set to be a royal retreat. However, deforestation and constant wars turned the area into a desert by the end of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). As the forest barrier was gone, sandstorms became more frequent. To stop sandstorms that kept threatening or event striking Beijing, Tianjin and other northern China cities, the Forestry Administration decided in 1962 to set the Saihanba Mechanical Forest Farm, and sent 369 foresters, mostly in their 20s, to the area for tree planting.

The first group of foresters in Saihanba faced many challenges, equipped with only the simplest tools amid extreme coldness and drought. As result, they were unable to ensure the survival of trees planted. However, after the joint efforts of three generations, Saihanba was restored and turned back into a green paradise with a forest coverage raised from 11.4 percent to 80 percent, which can conserve and purify 137 million cubic meters of water every year.

The miraculous planting story of foresters in Saihanba gives rise to the concept of the Saihanba Spirit, defined as working hard, advancing against difficulties, forging ahead, and innovating boldly. As one of the largest man-made plantations in the world, the Saihanba Afforestation Community won the honor of Champions of the Earth in 2017 due to the efforts to transform degraded land into a green paradise. Now, the lush Saihanba has become home to thousands of species of flora and fauna for its good environment, and also attracts numerous tourists.

(Cover image: The lush vegetation of Saihanba in north China's Hebei Province. /VCG)

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