Battle in the sea of sand: Weaving a "green scarf" for Xinjiang

In the northwest of China lies the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, an area of unparalleled natural beauty, featuring majestic mountain ranges, vast rivers, and fertile oases, yet also facing enormous ecological challenges. The Taklimakan Desert, situated in the Tarim Basin, is the largest desert in China. For centuries, its sands have eroded oases, shifting with the winds. Controlling the sand, stabilizing it, and maintaining soil stability and preventing the spread of sand are some of Xinjiang's biggest ecological challenges.

The journey around the Taklimakan Desert covers a distance of 3,046 kilometers. After more than 40 years of persistent effort, a 2,761-kilometer-long green shelterbelt has been established around the desert, thanks to the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program. This green barrier resembles a "scarf," firmly securing the sands within.

The "Three-North" region—Northwest, North, and Northeast China—contains 84 percent of China's desertified land. The Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program, launched in 1978 to combat desertification, has now entered a critical phase of implementation.

Currently, there remains a final 285 kilometers of this "scarf" that needs to be woven around the Taklimakan Desert. Completing these 285 kilometers of sand-blocking greenbelt will fully enclose the desert. This gap is located across regions such as Kashgar, Hotan, and Bayingolin in Xinjiang, and the project is expected to be completed within the year.

One of the "materials" for weaving this "scarf" is sand-resistant vegetation. In a botanical garden located deep in the Taklimakan Desert within Bayingolin, over 121 hectares host more than 200 species of plants, including winterberry euonymus and Fraxinus bungeana. Researchers select the most suitable species for transplantation into the vast Taklimakan Desert, turning them into "guardians" against the advancing sands.

Meanwhile, thanks to research and cultivation of new crop varieties, economic crops suitable for desert conditions have also been promoted in areas severely impacted by desertification in Xinjiang. This not only contributes to sand control but also provides economic benefits for local residents, fostering broad social participation in desert control efforts. This symbiotic relationship between sand control and economic gain forms a positive cycle. The economic crops include desert-tolerant corn, alfalfa for forage and Chinese jujube, forming a "biological sand control" model.

In addition to vegetation, photovoltaic sand control methods have also been applied in desert governance. Solar panels are installed in strategic areas to act as barriers, reducing wind speed at the surface level and minimizing sand movement. This not only helps in stabilizing the desert sands but also allows for energy generation, creating a dual benefit for the region.

(Cover via CFP.)