For half a century, millions of workers in northern China have engaged in a persistent effort to combat desertification, a process that involves stabilizing sand dunes and encouraging vegetation growth. This extensive campaign, known as the Three-North Protective Forest Program or the Green Great Wall, has transformed vast regions, reversing the spread of deserts.
The core technique, "straw checkerboards," involves planting sticks in intersecting grid patterns to stabilize sand, allowing saplings to take root with the aid of irrigation. This method has become a symbol of China's long-term commitment to ecological restoration.
According to data published by state media, the area of desertified land in northern China peaked in 2000 and has since been reduced by over 1,000 square kilometers (400 square miles) annually. The Chinese government states that the initiative, launched in 1978, has helped shift nearly half of the country's land area from "desertification advancing and people retreating" to "greenery advancing and the desertification retreating." The program has resulted in planted forests covering a cumulative 500,000 square kilometers (200,000 square miles).
Barron Joseph Orr, chief scientist for the U.N. Convention to Combat Desertification, noted that the program's significance lies not only in its scale but also in the "long-term political commitment behind it," emphasizing that reversing desertification is feasible when integrated into development strategies. Efforts to combat desertification have also been undertaken in other regions, such as a project launched in Africa in 2007 to halt the Sahara Desert's expansion.
Progress in China is attributed to the efforts of frontline workers, strategic planning, and substantial state investment. Increased rainfall in recent years has also aided vegetation restoration. Long-term monitoring data indicates that China's desertified land has shrunk by approximately 10% since 2000, with severely or extremely desertified areas decreasing by over 40%. Forest cover in the program area increased from about 5% in 1978 to 14% in 2022.
Workers like Yin Yuzhen, who has been involved in sand control for decades, recall the stark contrast between the past and present. "But now we can see the sun. We can see the green in the distance. We can see the road," she said, describing the improvements in visibility and the presence of greenery.
Over 300 million rural laborers have participated in the program, often on a paid, part-time basis. Experts suggest that restored dryland ecosystems can become self-sustaining, but they require ongoing management, monitoring, and depend on factors like water availability and soil health.
Linking ecological protection with local livelihoods is crucial for the success of such initiatives. Environmental groups like Green Camel Bell in Gansu province work with farmers and herders to restore vegetation and educate them on desertification risks, emphasizing that economic development and ecological protection need not be mutually exclusive.
However, a key challenge remains how to sustain conservation efforts if human intervention and investment are reduced. The long-term success of the Green Great Wall hinges on continued commitment and adaptation to environmental conditions.