Xinjiang Vows To Turn 3.3 Million Hectares Of Desert Into ForestNorthwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region plans to turn more than 3.3 million hectares of desert into forested land in the next ten years.Xinjiang, with a population of 17 million, suffers from very serious desertification, and more than 790,000 square kilometers of its total 1.66 million square kilometers of area are sandy. Total economic loss resulting from desertification now stands at 3 billion yuan (3.61 million U.S. dollars) annually. Experts say that the desert area of Xinjiang is stilling expanding by more than 400 square kilometers a year. The region plans to introduce aerial planting and the building of forest fences to block the movement of sand and protect vegetation there in order to reach its goal. At the same time, preferential policies will be adopted to encourage local people to plant trees, and the region hopes to attract domestic and overseas professional personnel to participate in this greening project. |
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