Ecological achievements in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region

Desert Control

Desertification is a severe challenge facing the global community. Preventing and controlling desertification is a great cause that benefits both the current and future generations.

Photo shows expressway runs through the ecological forest belt at the edge of the Kubuqi Desert in Ordos, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, July 28, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

Effort on Kubuqi Desert in northern China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region is a good example of China's success in containing desertification.

Kubuqi is the seventh largest desert in China, covering a total area of 18,600 square kilometers. Beijing, only 800 km from the desert, was often troubled by sand storms in the past.

Over the past three decades, farmers and herdsmen in Kubuqi plant liquorice to improve soil and build photovoltaic power stations for electricity. They lifted themselves out of poverty while fighting desertification.

Up till now, Chinese people have forested more than 6,000 square kilometers of Kubuqi and reduced 90 percent of sand storms in the desert.

Aerial photo taken on June 15, 2017 shows pasture of alfalfa in Ar Horqin Banner of Chifeng City, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Local authorities brought in investment to develop its pasture industry, which also helped to prevent the land from being desertified. [Photo/Xinhua]