Ever wonder how most countries have been cutting down trees over the decades? They cut down trees at an alarming rate. But then, China’s contribution to nature bucked this trend and achieved extensive reforestation of any country worldwide.

The forest land in China’s rehabilitation may be largely attributed to various forestry programs it implemented in the 1990s, through which China planted over 4 million hectares of forest yearly. 

From 1998 to 2014, the investment across the programs was estimated to reach about $100 billion and even involved the participation of the rural population of China. 

While the effectiveness of programs that have varied in the vast territory of China, which have not been without controversy, come with negative impacts on biodiversity. 

However, research has shown that turning the desert into a forest positively impacts the environment. In this article, we will discuss China’s contribution to nature by turning the desert into a forest. Without further ado, let’s get started. 

China’s Contribution to Nature: Rapid Transition of Desert into a Forest

The rehabilitation of landscapes and forests at a massive scale in China only proves that the ecological restoration of complex and large-scale ecosystems can be possible. What’s more interesting is that it could even be achieved through the hands of a human. 

China’s experience can be highly significant for the future of landscapes worldwide. With the population increases and massive agriculture expansions, it only means that soil desertification and degradation are among the developing problems in landscapes that will likely worsen because of climate change. 

Of course, lessons from China’s programs for forestry are proven – such as methods happening in China for land rehabilitation that were degraded since replicated in the deserts in Africa, as well as Ethiopia and Rwanda. 

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Transformation of Desert to Forest Impact on the Ecosystem

Transforming a desert into a forest is probably one of China’s contribution to nature. It’s a project that could positively impact the local population and environment.

Turning a desert into a forest can provide a lot of benefits: 

Reducing pollution

It improves air quality mainly because trees produce oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide. 

With that, it could help minimize any respiratory problems and other illnesses caused by air pollution. Also, trees in the forest could provide shade, help reduce the area’s temperature, and create a more desirable environment for humans and animals. 

Benefits Farmers 

This program benefited farmers in protecting and restoring forests, especially the natural vegetation where they previously planted herded or crops livestock. Farmers were compensated for the labor in the engineering project that expanded across China’s rural landscape. 

Farming is also about digging reservoirs at the terraces and bottom of the valleys into hillsides, which will help the land resist erosion and retain water. Also, the farmers were required to always keep the animals in place to avoid damage to newly restored lands because of the overgrazing of livestock. 

Farmers also planted trees and natural vegetation in designated areas and were assigned plots to grow their crops. Best of all, farmers were given land rights to terraces and fields they controlled and handled and even subsidies for protecting newly planted forests. 

Increase job opportunities

Another China’s contribution to nature is the transformation of the desert into a forest may also lead to many job opportunities in the area. Planting of trees, as well as the building of the infrastructure, supports the development of the forest and maintains it to create many employment opportunities for locals. Many job opportunities would help improve people’s lives, especially by contributing to the economy. 

Unites Chinese people 

What’s even extraordinary is that Chinese people participated in and supported this project. There was a cornerstone of the government of China for restoration efforts of the program called “Grain for Green.” 

Drawbacks of Desert to Forest Transformation 

While it’s beneficial to some, the transformation may also have negative impacts or environmental crises, such as: 

Soil Erosion

Soil erosion significantly contributed to dust storms that swept Beijing in the 1980s and 1990s. Severe droughts also saw lower reaches of rivers that dried up for about 267 days. Because of this, it caused an extreme risk of water availability around the northern plain. 

Flooding

Severe flooding has also killed almost 4,150 people, reaching about $36 billion in damages. The impact of deforestation was considered to be a significant factor in both droughts and flooding downstream.  

Uncertain Local Populations 

There was also local community displacement, as the project may move the population out of the neighborhood, whether formal or informal development happens. Especially when rich or new people move into the area. 

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Frequently Asked Questions

Wrapping Up

Every environmental project comes with advantages and disadvantages to us. But what matters most is that the good weighs more than the bad. In other words, the benefits should always outweigh the cons. 

All in all, turning a Chinese desert into a forest is proof of the growing capabilities and power of human intervention in the ecosystem. Indeed the program has been a success and truly is China’s contribution to nature.