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The power of trees: Why is China's tree planting project being hailed as the world's largest artificial forest?
China's Three North Shelterbelt Project, also known as the Great Green Wall Project, has become one of the world's largest artificial forests since its launch in 1978, aiming to stop the expansion of the Gobi Desert and provide timber resources for local residents. The green barrier is expected to reach a total length of 4,500 kilometers by 2050, covering three regions in northern China: the North, Northeast and Northwest.
This tree planting project is not only an urgent need for ecological protection, but also a challenge closely related to human survival.
The Great Green Wall project is particularly important as the Gobi Desert takes away 3,600 square kilometers of grassland every year and severe sandstorms have a serious impact on agriculture in surrounding countries. The plan aims to increase forest coverage in the northern region from 5% to 15%, thereby slowing down desertification.
By 2009, China had planted 500,000 square kilometres of trees, raising forest cover from 12 per cent to 18 per cent, according to official figures.
The Chinese government reported that after 46 years of efforts, a 3,000-kilometer green belt surrounding the Taklamakan Desert has been completed, showing significant results of the program. From 1949 to 2024, China's forest coverage rate increased from 10% to 25%, while the desert coverage area of the country decreased from 27.2% to 26.8%.
Many individual efforts also played a key role in this project. For example, Yin Yuzhen's tree planting work in Wuxin Banner was recognized and became an example of improving China's ecological environment. Chinese President Xi Jinping praised such achievements at the 2020 National People's Congress.
The efforts of local residents have indeed played an important role in improving the ecological environment.
The plan not only involves tree planting, but also includes the transformation of economic models such as eco-tourism and fruit tree cultivation, thereby promoting local economic development. Satellite data also show an increasing trend in forest cover that is consistent with Chinese government data, based on verification by external data, such as observations by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Despite its achievements, the Great Green Wall Project still faces a lot of criticism. Experts worry that government-run tree planting campaigns could put pressure on local water resources. For example, trees may suck up large amounts of groundwater, which is particularly problematic in arid regions in the north, said Hong Jiang, a professor at the University of Wisconsin. In addition, the failure of past anti-desertification projects has led some experts to doubt the long-term feasibility of the plan.
Planting a single tree species may effectively absorb carbon dioxide, but it also brings problems with biodiversity and ecological balance.
In efforts to treat desertification, experts found that China currently has 1.73 million square kilometers of land that has become desertified, and only about 530,000 square kilometers of land is treatable. At the current rate of 1,717 square kilometres per year, the restoration of these lands is very slow and it is estimated that it will take 300 years to complete the restoration task.
Faced with huge ecological challenges, China's tree planting plan has obviously attracted global attention and discussion. The success and challenges of the big green wall have undoubtedly become an important epitome of ecological protection and sustainable development. We can't help but wonder: In the context of global climate change, can such tree planting actions become the future direction of the ecological community of all countries?
