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China’s 'Green Great Wall' Tames Desert Growth, but Scientists Warn the Fight Is Not Over
Scientists say long-term monitoring shows severe desertification has fallen more than 40%, but they warn the gains need decades more work.
- China's Three-North Protective Forest Program has shrunk desertified land by around 10% overall since 2000, with severely degraded areas declining more than 40%.
- For half a century, millions of workers have inserted sticks into shifting sand to form "straw checkerboards," a technique that stabilizes dunes and allows saplings to take root.
- Scientist Zhu Jiaojun of the Chinese Academy of Sciences credited progress to state investment, worker efforts, and increased rainfall in recent years. Forest cover rose from around 5% in 1978 to 14% in 2022.
- Over 300 million rural laborers have participated in the program on a paid, part-time basis. Green Camel Bell founder Zhao Zhong emphasizes linking restoration to local livelihoods so communities benefit economically.
- Barron Joseph Orr, chief scientist for the U.N. Convention to Combat Desertification, said reversing desertification is possible when integrated into long-term development strategies requiring careful management and monitoring.
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23 Articles
23 Articles
Washington Top News+3 Reposted by 3 other sources
China’s ‘Green Great Wall’ tames desert growth, but scientists warn the fight is not over
KUBUQI DESERT, China (AP) — For half a century, millions of workers have repeated a task across the deserts in northern China: inserting forearm-length sticks…
·Washington, United States
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Associated Press News+14 Reposted by 14 other sources
China’s 'Green Great Wall' tames desert growth, but scientists warn the fight is not over
For half a century, workers in northern China have been using a technique called "straw checkerboards" to combat desertification.
·New York, United States
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China's 'Green Great Wall' Tames Desert Growth, but Scientists Warn the ...
·Washington, United States
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China's "Great Green Wall" Stops the Desert, But Experts Warn the Struggle Continues · Global Voices
For half a century, millions of workers have repeated a task in the deserts of northern China: insert sticks of the length of a forearm into the quicksand, first in a row and then in a line that crosses it, gradually forming a grid. Then they plant shoots in the center of each small square.
Coverage Details
Total News Sources23
Leaning Left9Leaning Right2Center10Last UpdatedBias Distribution48% Center
Bias Distribution
- 48% of the sources are Center
48% Center
L 43%
C 48%
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