Hey there! Have you ever imagined turning a desert into a green oasis? 🌵➡️🌳 Well, that’s exactly what China has been up to!
The Taklimakan Desert, known as the “Sea of Death,” is the largest desert in China and the second-largest shifting sand desert in the world. It covers a whopping 337,600 square kilometers! That’s like 50 million soccer fields! ⚽🏟️
But here’s some exciting news: After more than 40 years of hard work, China has completely surrounded the Taklimakan Desert with a special green belt that stretches 3,046 kilometers long. That’s longer than the distance from New York to Los Angeles! 🚗🌳
What’s a Green Belt?
A green belt is a line of trees and plants that helps stop the desert from spreading. Think of it as a big, green shield protecting the land! 🛡️🌲
This amazing project is part of China’s Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program, the world’s largest tree-planting program started back in 1978. The goal is to fight desertification, which is when good land turns into desert because of things like drought or cutting down too many trees.
Why Is This Important?
- Over 35.8 million hectares of desertified land have been conserved. That’s an area bigger than all of Germany! 🇩🇪
- More than 7.8 million hectares of desertified land have been turned back into healthy land with plants and trees. 🌿
- The amount of soil erosion has decreased, meaning the soil stays put and can grow plants better. 🌱
- The “green line” of plants in the Yellow River Basin has moved 300 kilometers west. More plants mean a happier Earth! 🌍
Cleaner Air and Fewer Dust Storms
In the past 10 years, northern China has seen fewer severe dust storms in the spring. That means cleaner air for everyone! 😊
An official from the National Forestry and Grassland Administration said that China has become a global leader in stopping land from turning into desert. They’ve achieved “zero growth” in land degradation, which is super impressive! 🌟
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work!
Isn’t it amazing what people can do when they work together to protect our planet? Maybe one day, you can help the environment too! Every tree counts! 🌳❤️
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
