With the blossoming spring coming in northwest China's Gansu Province, desert dune stabilization and afforestation are being fortified in Hexi Corridor, a narrow strip of land between the Gobi and the Qilian Mountains, which is often affected by floating sand and dust.

On Wednesday, a total of 6,817 officials and employees from 118 units in Wuwei City, participated in a desert control activity in the heartland of the Tengger Desert, which is located at the eastern end of the Hexi Corridor.

They used agricultural waste, mostly wheat and rice straws, to prepare "checkerboards," creating a net across the desert to control the flowing sand, thus curbing the sand incursion and desert encroachment.

"In the construction of ecological civilization, each individual plays a role as a participant and contributor. I firmly believe that through our collective efforts, our homestead will become more livable and beautiful," said Lan Yinyin, a volunteer.

According to the local government, the province plans to plant more than 2.6 million mu (roughly 173,000 hectares) of forest and treat over 2.85 million mu (190,000 hectares) of desertified land this year.