Decades of afforestation efforts in Zhangwu County, northeast China's Liaoning Province, have transformed a once barren, sandy region plagued by yellow sandstorms into a lush landscape of green mountains and lucid waters, an exemplary achievement in China's ecological preservation drive.
Situated on the southern edge of the Horqin Sandy Land, Zhangwu County was over 90 percent desertified and experienced more than 200 days of wind and sandstorms each year 70 years ago, with only 2.9 percent of the land covered by forests
To address the desertification, researchers and scholars have been promoting the planting of Mongolian Scotch pine, a species known for its resistance to cold, drought, and sand.
Seventy years later, the once barren land is now covered by sand-fixation forests, creating a beautiful landscape under the blue sky.
In 2018, Zhangwu County launched an ecological restoration project, covering millions of acres of grassland to establish a demonstration zone.
What was once a desolate sandy area has now become a national-level tourist destination, attracting over 300,000 young tourists annually for camping and recreation.
"We had so much fun with all the activities here. The scenery is beautiful, and I'll definitely come back with my friends," said one tourist.
"It's hard to imagine this place was once a desert. The landscape is stunning, and it's perfect for taking photos," said another tourist.
The transformation from desert to oasis has also brought economic benefits to local residents who have embraced modern agricultural technologies.
What was once infertile land, yielding less than a hundred kilograms of grain, now it produces tons of grain. This thriving agricultural land has also served as a crucial barrier against wind and sandstorms.
In 2019, as part of a comprehensive ecological management project along the Liuhe River basin, Zhangwu County diverted water from a reservoir into the desertified land, turning the once dry land into a fertile wetland suitable for grain cultivation.
Today, the county boasts more than two million mu (about 130,000 hectares) of forested land, with forest coverage increasing to 31 percent, and the number of sandstorm days has been reduced to just five per year. The former desert has become a land of abundance, demonstrating the dedicated efforts of generations in Zhangwu County over the past 70 years.
Decades of afforestation efforts transforms once-barren northeast county from desert into oasis
