Trees Being Planted in Pollution Source for BeijingTrees are being planted in desertificated area in Inner Mongolia's Xilinhot Prefecture which is the most likely source of sand storms that harassed Beijing last winter and spring.Local officials and farmers have been busy involving themselves in afforestation in an attempt to ward off the advancing sand and preserve grass lands. Statistics from the local environmental protection bureau indicate that Xilinhot, located some 700 kilometers north of Beijing, has undergone serious desertification in the past decade. The prefecture's desert is the likely explanation behind the sandstorms that have been blasting the capital city in recent years, according to sources from the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA). Total suspended particles and yellow sand brought by strongwinds from north of Beijing have been responsible for the most seriously polluted days this year. "Sand storms have posed an increasing threat to the capital city,worsening air pollution and damaging the grasslands around the city," Meng Fanli, spokesman from the SEPA said. Alerted by the deterioration of its surrounding environment and the increasing threat of sandstorms, the Beijing municipal government has urged environmental departments to take immediate measures to improve ecological systems in localities around the city. Xilinhot is currently in the process of setting up four tree cultivation bases in Qagan Nur lake, which are expected to provide 300,000 trees in the prefecture and its neighboring areas. These trees will be capable of fast growth in a desert environment and are resistant to adverse natural conditions. |
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