When Guo Chengwang started planting trees in the Mu Us Desert in northwest China's Shaanxi Province almost 40 years ago, he couldn't have imagined the lasting impact his efforts would have on combating desertification.
In 1985, out of the 1,200 saplings Guo planted, only one survived. Yet, his discovery that poplars could thrive in the desert was a beacon of hope.
\"In the 1980s, the desolated land was covered with sand dunes,\" recalled Guo. \"Nothing else.\"
His grandson, Guo Jianjun, has carried on this legacy. Continuing his grandfather's mission, he is now helping transform 3,000 hectares of uncultivated desert into verdant land. Thanks to sustained efforts across generations, more than 80 percent of the sand-covered area has been controlled, with a forestation rate reaching 30 percent, according to Xinhua.
Following Nature's Laws
\"All things that grow live in harmony and benefit from the nourishment of Nature.\"
This ancient Chinese proverb from \"Xunzi,\" a Confucian classic, underscores China's commitment to environmental sustainability. At the Leaders Summit on Climate in April 2021, Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed the importance of learning from ancestral wisdom to respect natural laws and promote harmony between humans and nature.
\"Mother Nature has nurtured us, and we must treat nature as our root, respect it, protect it, and follow its laws,\" Xi stated in his speech titled \"For Man and Nature: Building a Community of Life Together.\"
The Guo family's work is just one of many innovative environmental success stories in China. Other notable examples include the world's largest man-made forest in Saihanba, Hebei Province, and the sand control model developed in Kubuqi, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
