Xinjiang to be Turned a Large Oasis in Western ChinaPeople in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which accounts for one sixth of China's territory, are working to turn this arid land into a huge oasis in the western part of China.To complete this long-term gigantic program, the region will take measures to curb irrational development of water resources and prevent ecological environment from deteriorating. Meanwhile, traditional nomadic life style will gradually be replaced by settlement centers to control desert encroachment. At present, the desert and sandy areas in Xinjiang sprawl at an annual rate of 2,400 hectares and the dunes move towards highway and railway roads at a rate of 15 meters a year. The region will build 1.13 million ha of forest, plant grass on 1.4 million ha and improve 1.52 million ha of low-yielding land to make the rate of green plant-covered areas in Xinjiang to reach 5. 3 percent. The region now has 20-odd nature reserves covering a total area of 10 million ha. It plans to build eight wildlife protection centers and 10 no-hunting zones. |
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