Xinjiang environment improving 

cctv.com 10-20-2005 16:01

We turn now to our series of reports on Xinjiang Uygur Atonomous Region, and the area houses a large number of China's mineral resources. But above ground, the natural environment has suffered from extreme overuse. Lakes have dried up and the already massive Gobi Desert has extended. In an attempt to turn back the clock and return Xinjiang to its former flourishing self, the central government has been carrying out a series of environmental projects.

It's hard to believe that this line of green and blue is in the middle of Xinjiang. Stuck in the middle of a continent, thousands of kilometers from the sea, Xinjiang is China's driest region.

It's equally hard to believe that this river was once just a trickle of water in a dried-up bed, and that drought had killed most of the plants, leaving the area prone to sandstorms.

Geng Yucheng, Vice Director of Forestry Bureau, Luntai County, Xinjiang, said, "From the end of the 1980s to the beginning of the 90s, plants such as these poplar trees died of drought in most areas. Just like this."

Ten years back, Luntai saw over 200 days of sandstorms in a year.

Since 2000, the central government has been working to improve Xinjiang's environment, pumping about 1.2 billion US dollars into green projects. Water has returned to the rivers, and trees have regained their life support. The improving environment has also allowed wildlife to return. This means much more work for the men whose job it is to protect the new greenery, but they're happy about it.

Ya Mangsha, Forest Ranger, said, "There didn't used to be any animals here. Now, there are over 10 kinds of wild animals here, including birds and rabbits."

Zhu Yuwei, Researcher of Xinjiang Academy of Forestry, said, "Goshawks normally eat rabbits and rats, and rabbits and rats eat grass. This means the area has a relatively intact food chain. It's a big improvement for the ecosystem."

The recovery of Xinjiang's environment has already brought benefits to the local people. Many herders have moved back. And fishermen can make a living from fishing again. This fisherman, Zhao Legang is feeling happier than he has in years. He no longer has to come back empty-handed after a fishing trip.

To make Zhao even happier, the local government is taking measures to improve the quality of the brackish water in the lake he works on. They have planted bulrushes, which absorb massive amounts of salts. This, and many other efforts, are bringing Xinjiang's environment back to life again.

Editor:Chen Zhuo  Source:CCTV.com