China has wrapped up a decades-long initiative to encircle the Taklamakan Desert with a 3,000-kilometer “green belt” of trees, aimed at combating desertification and reducing sandstorms, according to state media.
This effort, part of the “Three-North Shelterbelt” project launched in 1978, has raised national forest coverage to over 25%, up from 10% in 1949.
Despite the progress, critics note low tree survival rates and limited impact on sandstorm reduction. Officials plan to continue planting vegetation and restoring poplar forests using diverted floodwaters to maintain the green belt’s effectiveness.
Currently, 26.8% of China’s land remains classified as desertified.
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