Situated in the middle reaches of the Yellow River, northwest China's Shaanxi Province has promoted ecological conservation and high-quality development along the river, building a "green miracle" in the Yellow River basin in the province through relentless efforts. Photo shows a green shelterbelt near watch tower Zhenbeitai in Yulin city, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Shao Rui) Greening the Loess Plateau A vast woodland combining trees, shrubs, and grass stretches out as far as the eye can see at the Mu Us Desert afforestation base in Shenmu, a county-level city administered by Yulin city, located on the Loess Plateau in Shaanxi.
It's hard to imagine that the woodland was once a barren desert area plagued by sandstorms years ago. Elders of the area shake their heads remembering the past, stating that sandstorms would sometimes last for days, leaving a layer of sand in their yards that had to be scooped out with dustpans. Today, the main color palette has transformed from “yellow” to “green”.
"Now, we systematically monitor wind speed, moisture, microorganisms, etc. in the woodland," said Zhang Yinglong, president of the Shenmu ecological protection and construction association and a veteran in desertification control. He added that combating desertification relies on science and technology.
Over the past 21 years, Zhang and his team have developed a series of afforestation techniques and models. Their process involves three steps. First, planting psammo.
