In Jinta County, northwest China's Gansu Province, the afforestation and greening project along the Jinhe highway makes one of the county's key projects in 2024.
Combinations of artificial afforestation, grass grid and other measures are adopted in the expectation of about 550 hectares of sand control.
Jinhe highway in Jinta County, Jiuquan City, northwest China's Gansu Province, March 22, 2024. /CFP
Countless golden grass grids spread out across the area, serving as barriers and trapping sand in the area.
Drip irrigation pipelines are planted in the grids while 78,000 cubic meters of sand will be dug and replaced for the planting of 650,000 tenacious trees like the saxaul, desert poplar and salt cedar.
Grids along the highway in Jinta County, Jiuquan City, northwest China's Gansu Province, March 22, 2024. /CFP
The environment along the highway is gradually improved through afforestation, replanting and sand fixation.
By the end of April, the afforestation and greening along the highway are scheduled to be completed as a demonstration project in the country's vast effort in desertification control.
Pipelines in the grass grids in Jinta County, Jiuquan City, northwest China's Gansu Province, March 22, 2024. /CFP
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.
(Cover via CFP.)