China: Desert becomes forest belt: The
"Green Wall" 1970-2024
Video on June 15, 2025: China and the
"Green Wall" against the desert - with some
mechanization of straw grids and with native tree
species - 1949 10% forest area - 2024 25% forest area -
dunes stopped - transport routes secured - new wildlife
has settled - new agriculture established:
Everyone laughed at China when they buried
plants in the desert - 10 years later they regretted it!
(27'14'')
(orig. German: Alle lachten über China, als sie
Pflanzen in der Wüste vergruben – 10 Jahre später
bereuten sie es! (27'14'')
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbNPjpVhs1c
- YouTube channel:
TAN
GLOBE DE - uploaded on June 15, 2025
Videoprotocol (translation):
-- Since the 1950s, China installed new agriculture
nationwide, overexploited the soil, and the wind carried
away the humus layer - this turned about 1/3 of China into
desert, the Taklamakan Desert expanded, also called the
"Sea of Death" - and large sandstorms became normal in
China, in 2006 there were 17 large sandstorms with sand
clouds reaching South Korea, Japan, and even the "USA"
(2'12'')
Taklamakan Desert in China [1] -
China had 17 major sandstorms in 2006 [2]
-- the sandstorms covered fertile fields, destroyed crops,
water wells dried up, entire villages were displaced
(2'29'') -- Inner Mongolia became uninhabitable and China
suddenly had "ecological migrants" (2'41'') -- a
comprehensive solution was needed, and thus the project of
a "massive Green Wall" was promoted (3'8'')
The "Green Wall" is planned to be 4500km long with a
construction period from 1978 to 2050
-- the "Three-North Shelter Forest Program" for the "Green
Wall" started in 1978 (3'37'') -- to stop the Gobi Desert
and the Taklamakan Desert (4'5'') -- a construction period
was planned from 1978 to 2050 in 8 phases (4'14'') -- 35
million hectares are to be made fertile again (4'20'') --
4500km long, up to 1500km wide (4'30'') -- incentives were
created, students, workers, and soldiers were encouraged
or even required to participate there (5'5'') -- In 1981,
National Tree Planting Day was introduced on March 12th
(5'18'')
China: Program "Green Wall" since
1978 [3] - China: National Tree Planting Day
established on March 12, 1981 [4]
-- drought-resistant species were tested, irrigation
systems installed, techniques such as straw
checkerboarding and soil enhancers - plants were
introduced (5'48'') -- an agroforestry model was
developed, the restoration of pastures, shrubs, and desert
plants (5'58'')
-- the mixture of ecosystems produced better results than
monocultures (6'6'') - by the year 2000, satellite images
showed some changes, with parts of the desert turning
green, but failure rates were high and there were plenty
of skeptics (6'20'') -- at the end of the 1980s and
beginning of the 1990s, satellite images showed that many
forests had died, the once green forests had withered,
"barren and lifeless" (7'44'') -- in some regions, 50 to
85% of the trees had died (7'52'') -- many trees were
foreign species like poplars and pines, which were not
resilient enough + they were susceptible to "pests,
diseases, and drought" (8'21'') -- critics clearly said
that the wrong species were planted and that the soil
conditions could deteriorate (8'27'') -- international
media described the attempt at the "Green Wall" as a
"theatrical performance, more symbolic than effective"
(8'43'') -- a lot of mobilization "without deeper reforms"
(8'59'') -- Chinese analysts criticized the propaganda
with the number of trees planted, but the number of
surviving trees was concealed (9'14'') -- and much was
done for irrigation Water consumed, which reduced the
water supply to rivers and the water supply of farms
(9'22'') -- many thought that the desert could not be
stopped -- a new saying "burying money in the sand"
(9'31'')
China's "Green Wall": Foreign tree species have dried
out after 10 to 15 years [5] -
Chinese proverb from the late 1980s: "Buried money in
the sand" [6]
-- In the 1970s, China developed the technique of straw
grids, which were manually secured in the desert with much
labor, using straw from the rice harvest (11'23'') - as
the desert now also threatened railway lines, tree
planting day became increasingly important for China
(11'46'')
Straw grids, straw chessboards are
being installed in the desert [7] - straw chessboard,
zoom [8]
-- the irrigation was improvised, and to improve water
retention, compost, clay, and humus were added to the sand
(12'36'') -- that was the foundation for future successes
(12'44'') -- the straw chessboards held the dunes in place
(12'51'') -- new vegetation could grow, but in total
drought and temperatures ranging from 45 degrees in summer
to minus 20 degrees in winter, trees had little chance
(14'2'') -- seedlings usually died within a year in the
sandy, dry, and nutrient-poor soil (14'11'') -- water
evaporated or drained away too quickly, leading to the
death of up to 85% of the trees (14'22'') -- especially
monocultures with poplars and pines (14'29'') --
transporting water + straw + seedlings across vast deserts
was an expensive undertaking (14'44'') -- sandstorms could
destroy months of work in a single day (14'50'') --
Filling in ditches, uprooting trees, covering with
checkerboard grid (14'55'') -- Forests were repeatedly
covered with sandstorms (15'0'') -- In the KP offices,
quotas were in place, officials had to meet quotas, the
number of planted trees was important, the quality was
not, so planting was done hastily but poorly planned
(15'12'') -- Environmental groups warned against
monocultures that further deteriorate the soil (15'32'')
-- Irrigation consumes too much groundwater (15'53'') --
Analysis and measures - mechanical straw grid
-- a report from the Academy of Sciences in 2011 called
for a shift from mass planting to the restoration of
natural ecosystems (16'5'') -- Politicians and scientists
analyzed their own mistakes, committed to deeper research,
experiments with local plants, regionally adapted methods
(16'27'') -- Trees alone do not tame the desert;
engineering, science, and nature were now combined
(17'6'') -- the straw grids were now mechanically
installed with machines and were 4 to 6 times faster than
manual labor (17'29'') --
Machines for trenches and straw grids [9] - Straw grids
are stabilizing the desert [10]
-- Foreign tree species such as poplar and eucalyptus have
now been abandoned and INDIGENOUS TREE SPECIES are being
used
-- Drought-resistant indigenous species such as
saxaul,
tamarisk, wolfberries, goji, sea buckthorn, and robust
grasses were planted (17'57'') -- these plants
thrived under the conditions and thus new ecosystems were
established (18'6'') -- To improve desert soil,
biochar
was tested,
as were microbial
inoculants and organic compost mixtures to
retain more water and nutrients (18'19'') -- Sometimes
drip
irrigation was installed [which Israel has had
since the 1960s] (18'25'') --
--
Mycorrhizal fungi increased root growth
and thus the survival rates of the trees (18'33'')
-- Straw grids, windbreak forests, and gravel strips
protect transportation routes, e.g. the BTU Lantso railway
lines through the Tenga Desert (18'50'')
-- An expressway through the Taklamakan Desert was also
protected with straw grids, windbreak forests, and gravel
strips (18'57'')
Eine Strasse durch die Taklamakan-Wüste wird durch
Strohgitter gesichert [11] - Strohgitter stoppt die
Wüstendünen [12]
A road through the Taklamakan Desert is secured by straw
grids [11] - straw grids stop the desert dunes [12]
-- Vegetation corridors are supposed to catch dust, block
the wind, and stop soil erosion (19'11'')
-- The control of plantings with drones allowed for
immediate corrections if necessary (19'20'')
-- It was therefore worthwhile to build entire ecosystems
instead of just planting trees (19'28'')
-- New experiments were conducted under scientific
supervision, with adjustments made to the respective
desert if necessary (19'40'')
-- The desert was modified into a desert that supports
life (19'47'')
China's desert with desert forest 01 [13,14]
-- within 10 years, the deserts began to bloom and life
returned; the critics who had dismissed all projects as
'ecological fantasy' had to abandon their skepticism
(20'21'')
-- by 2024, China had installed a 3000 km long 'green
belt' 'around the Taklamakan Desert,' and the naysayers
had nothing left to say (20'33'')
-- the Taklamakan Desert is 'one of the harshest in the
world' (20'36'')
-- straw grids, native plants, and self-sustaining
ecosystems halted this dune desert (20'51'')
-- 21 million acres of desert had now been transformed
into grassland (20'58'')
-- by 2024, over 30 million hectares had been reforested
(21'7'')
-- China in 1949 had 10% forest area - by 2024, China had
25% forest area (21'15'')
-- Desert storms and dust storms are now significantly
reduced and cities are no longer affected, similarly the
dust storms in Inner Mongolia have disappeared due to
reforestation (21'36'').
Inner Mongolia: Stone desert with forest has hardly any
dust storm anymore 1,2 [18,19]
-- The sky is clearer, the air is cleaner (21'38'')
-- Satellite images also show the green corridors in China
and no longer gray, barren areas (21'49'')
-- The green belts now protect: roads, railways, farmland,
and cities (21'57'')
-- The straw grids provided stability for the dunes
(22'8'')
-- The BTU railway is now protected by the green belts -
before the action, some people thought the railway would
be buried under sand dunes (22'21'')
-- The expressway through the Taklamakan Desert is well
protected and intact, "supported by gravel waves and
vegetation barriers" (22'29'')
-- The desert is no longer a threat (22'40'')
-- This 'green wall' has become a model for other
countries and continents, turning into a 'global case
study' (2'55'')
-- China has also economically benefited from the greening
of the desert with ecotourism to the forest corridors
(23'26'')
-- The local population now had their own ideas: Goji
berries, grapes, and desert herbs were planted in the
green corridors (23'32'')
-- Desert areas became "productive farms" (23'37'')
-- The government of China began to support sustainable
agriculture, which created jobs, reduced poverty, and
strengthened rural communities (23'46'')
The Chinese population is now transforming barren areas
into farms with the new knowledge [26] -- China, hilly
landscape with forest strips [27]
-- China has become a model for transforming deserts into
forests through innovation, planning, and ecological
success (23'59'')
-- The 'Green Wall' has become a 'global
inspiration' (24'6'')
-- China demonstrated that one can revive deserts
(24'14'')
-- Furthermore, there were other reforestation programs
(24'32'')
-- The dust storms reduced, agriculture had less sand
damage, the harvests grew better, respiratory diseases
decreased (25'1'')
-- The new forests were repopulated with wildlife, birds,
insects, and small mammals, biodiversity returned, and
this became a model for other countries (25'15'')
-- In Africa, a 'Green Wall' is also being realized across
the continent (25'44'')
-- In China, people are proud of the success of the 'Green
Wall' against the desert (26'2'')
-- The 'Green Wall' has become a model for the world
(26'20'')
Transforming desert into forest - before - after [28] --
China: Children are planting and caring for young trees
[29]
China: Desert Becomes Fields, Forest Belt,
and Fishpond
Video July 19, 2025: China is making its
deserts green - but lakes, ponds, and new riverbeds are
missing:
1. Flat circular fields with circular
irrigation: oats combined with alfalfa
2. Laying straw grids over dunes: microclimate in the
straw allows seeds to sprout
3. Installing artificial fish ponds and recycling
groundwater
4. Desert becomes rose field
5. "The Green Wall" 23km wide
6. Desert becomes pasture with solar collectors on top
China's desert innovation dazzles the world with
invisible greening tactics (23'30'')
(orig. German: Chinas Wüsteninnovation verblüfft die
Welt mit unsichtbaren Begrünungstaktiken (23'30'') -
English video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLB5BYureS8
- YouTube channel:
Das
Tagebuch von Kleopatra - uploaded on July 19,
2025
Amusing and amazing what the Chinese land-engineers are
doing, but ponds and lakes are missing:
1. Flat circular fields with
circular irrigation: round rows of oats with
rows of alfalfa (lucerne) in between (alfalfa is
drought-resistant with deep roots that hold the sand
together - alfalfa pulls fertilizer from the air, thus
enriching the sand with fertilizer and turning sand into
soil) (3'14'') - the "oat circles" (21'10'') -- "This
is not just agriculture - this is terra forming"
(3'18'')
China Kunju: Circle fields combined with oats and
alfalfa / lucerne against the Taklamakan Desert [30]
China Kunju: The desert was flattened with excavators
- prepared for fields [31]
China Kunju: Installing straw grids on desert fields
[32]
China Kunju: Irrigation in the district [33] --
China Kunju: Alternating strips of oats with
alfalfa-lucerne [34] - Alfalfa zoom [35]
2. Laying straw grids over dunes:
with squares of 1x1m - Furrow robots create the
furrows at a distance of one meter - Straw is laid
out and packed into the sand with shovels - miles
long - this dampens the wind, a shadow zone with
moisture is created at the straw, in this
microclimate seeds can sprout, hardy, native desert
shrubs - sowing is done in humid fog or light rain
[then the seeds stay in place better and can sprout
immediately] - the roots become established, the
sand is stabilized - thus, NO high-tech is needed
against the desert - with tricks [with Mother Earth]
any desert can be transformed into fields and
forests - with low tech using furrows, stuffing
straw grids into the sand during dry conditions, and
scattering the seeds in wet weather (6'1'')
China: Straw grids are installed in the
desert for stopping the desert [36] - Zoom [37] -
China: The furrow robot installs the furrows [38]
China: Straw grids being installed in the desert are
stopping the desert 2 Zoom [39] -- China: Straw grids
installed in the desert with shovel [40] China: Straw
grids installed in the desert by a woman with a shovel
[41]
China: straw grids are
installed in the desert, a commander of the CCP is
telling [42] -
China: Seeds are sown on straw grids during wet
weather 1.2 [43,44]
-- A CCP commander comments: "It is a quiet, monumental
achievement" (6'13'') -- "But this straw grid is one of
the strongest weapons they have. This is how you
transform a moving sea of death into a stable, living
landscape." (6'21'') "[You install] a modest square
after another. It is simple." (6'24'')
3. Install artificial fish ponds in the desert
- using groundwater - and with water recycling = minimal
water consumption due to some evaporation - these
aquacultures are no longer an art but can be operated in
any desert - educate the population - and no one has to
live without fish anymore - so you don't need a lake,
nor a river, nor or a sea to have fish (9'21'')
China Xinjiang: Fish farm in the desert
valley [45] - Zoom [46] - China Xinjiang: Fish farm
with fish [47]
China Xinjiang: Crabs [48] -
China Xinjiang: large fish [49]
4. Desert becomes a field of roses: In
the Desert of Lutjan (Lu Tian), roses are
planted, "These flowers are 'warriors [pioneer plants
with long roots], like alfalfa' (10'1'') -- Roses have a
deep, fibrous root system that effectively binds loose
sand, creating a stable soil cover, thus stopping
erosion (10'12'') -- In this way, people regain hope,
and the roses are cultivated for the production of rose
oil (10'30'') -- for cosmetics and perfume (10'35'')
China Lu Tian: Transforming desert into rose fields
[50] - China Lu Tian: Roses in the desert, Zoom [51] -
China Lu Tian: Roses are planted in desert furrows
[52]
China Lu Tian: In desert furrows,
roses are planted, zoom [53] - China Lu Tian: The
desert has been transformed into rose fields, with
borders with trees [55] - China Lu Tian: the
agriculture staff - the pickers - are picking rose
petals where there once was desert [56]
China Lu Tian: Rose petals for perfumes and
oils [54] - China Lu Tian: Fields in violet [55] -
zoom [60]
-- the desert turns into a rose field that yields high
profits, the farmers harvest, sell it and process it
into a luxury product, simply "in the middle of the
desert" (10'53'') -- rose festivals attract tourists
(10'58'') -- other flowers such as marigolds and
rapeseed are also planted - sometimes with hedges
between the fields - and thus there are no more
sandstorms - the monster being called a "desert" has
been transformed (11'41'')
China Lu Tian:
Fields with marigolds in orange [56] - China Lu Tian:
Fields with rapeseed in yellow [57] - China Lu Tian:
Mixed field [61]
5. "The Green Great Wall" - 23 km wide:
The Taklamakan Desert is larger than
Germany (12'23'') - a "fence made of trees" has been
planted, which surrounds the ENTIRE desert [to prevent
it from becoming even larger] (12'42'') - 3046 km
long (12'50'') -- that's just about the
distance from Berlin to Moscow and back, or from the
German-Danish border to the tip of southern Italy
(13'10'') -- the forest belt is 23 km wide, and
8000 hectares of trees have been planted
(13'24'') -- the plantings began with access roads,
followed by irrigation lines, and then resilient plants
[with deep and branching roots] were planted ("warrior
trees") such as tamarisk, desert poplar, and willow
(13'59'') -- they survive heat, cold, and drought
(14'6'') -- "their roots are like claws that dig into
the sand and do not let go" (14'11'') -- in winter the
sand freezes, in the Xiama district 600,000
Saxaul seedlings were planted, and the
barrier now protects against sandstorms (14'37'') -- the
plants cool the temperature during the day, birds and
insects return, they are a 'living, breathing line in
the sand' (14'48'')
China's "Green Wall" is 23km wide:
First, the land is leveled with excavators [62] -
China's "Green Wall": Framework for solar panels
against desert winds [64] - China's 'Green Wall':
Solar panels can be installed immediately to tame the
wind, keeping the desert soil in shade [63]
China "Green
Wall": Solar panels next to straw grids [65] - China
"Green Wall": Planting in the frozen desert [66] -
Zoom [67]
China "Green Wall": Drip
Irrigation [68] - China "Green Wall": plantas pioneras
están creciendo [69]
6. Desert is turned into pasture with solar
panels on top: Deserts can be transformed
into power producers using solar panels - for example,
the Kibuqi Desert [Kubuqi Desert? Inner Mongolia?] - the
goal is to generate 16 million kilowatts of electricity
from sun and wind [and grass is growing with straw grids
at the ground] (15'56'') -- 16 million kW
is equivalent to the annual consumption of Greece or
Hungary (16'10'') -- 6 million tons of coal per
year are replaced as a result [only the
recycling issue remains: wind turbine blades are NOT
recyclable, and solar panels are hardly recyclable]
(16'27'') -- the solar panels are installed 3
meters high or even higher, creating a microclimate
in the shade for grasses, herbs, and
vegetables that stabilize the sand - the desert becomes
a power plant and pasture (17'31'').
Supplement
by Michael Palomino - Aug 3, 2025
WARNING: Solar panels are hardly recyclable - and wind
turbines NOT AT ALL
-- solar systems are hardly recyclable, and wind turbines
are NOT AT ALL recyclable. NOT RECOMMENDED
SOMETHING IS MISSING: Ponds and lakes are missing in
the forests for a more balanced climate and a safe
groundwater level
-- for energy generation, gas power plants are the best,
as gas does not require mines and does not pollute
waterways during transportation
-- in the converted deserts, water bodies, ponds, and
lakes are missing for a safe groundwater level and for an
even better climate.
-- Install a lake with a
bulldozer and clay earth: example of Tamera
in Portugal with Mr. Sepp Holzer link
-- Install ponds with a bulldozer and clay earth:
example of the farm of Mr. Sepp Holzer in Austrea near
Salzbourg link
Video of April 23, 2024: China breeds 1.2
million rabbits for the fresh desert forests - which
fertilize the forest with dung and seeds in the dung,
securing the forests - and there is rabbit roast:
Amazing! China is creating 1.2M RABBITS in the desert
to make it bloom like an OASIS in 2025.
(orig. ESP: Sorprendente! China Criando 1.2M CONEJOS en
el Desierto para Hacerlo Florecer como OASIS en 2025)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YK6ocNLnPo - YouTube
channel:
Lugares
Fantásticos - uploaded on April 23, 2024
Video of April 23, 2024: China breeds 1.2 million
rabbits for the fresh desert forests - which are
fertilizing the forest with feces and seeds in the feces
securing the forests in this way - and there is roast
rabbit [74]
