Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, September 17th (Xinhua) - The Yellow River's water rises from the sky and rushes here. How green is it? - The story of the Yellow River's "several character bend" ecological governance front line

Xinhua News Agency reporter

The Jiuqu Yellow River flows rapidly, outlining a large "ji" character on the land of China. The "several character bend" area at the top has complete ecological elements of mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes, grasses, and sands, making it a convergence area of multiple ecological functions in northern China.

On the occasion of the 4th anniversary of the rise of ecological protection and high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin as a national strategy, let us listen together to the story of ecological governance from the front line of the Yellow River.

A green patch of sand blocks a ditch of soil

After an autumn rain, Tugurigacha in Duguitala Town, Hangjin Banner, Ordos City, Inner Mongolia, has a clear sky and lush greenery.

"My name in Chinese means' vast ocean ', which was the beautiful hope my parents had for me when they named me after the sandstorms that ravaged me." 56 year old herdsman Urigendari pointed to a willow planted by himself in the distance and said, "I am happy to see the green because my beautiful hope has been realized."

Tugurigacha is located in the hinterland of the Kubuqi Desert, the seventh largest desert in China. A wind blows from spring to winter every year, and the desert continues to invade the pastures. Poverty and backwardness once plagued the local herdsmen.

When Uligen Dalai was still a strong young man, with the support of his wife, he sold his family's goats to exchange for 20000 yuan and officially started planting trees to control desertification.

The initial planting of over 6000 small saplings was quickly engulfed by days of sandstorms. Wurigenda learned a lesson and explored setting up sand barriers, fixing quicksand, and then planting tree seedlings. After nearly half a year of hard work, over 3000 acres of yellow sand have finally been fixed by sand barriers, and the replanted saplings are gradually sprouting.

"At that time, I thought that as long as I could take action, I would persist in planting trees and adding more greenery to the desert," he said.

Wurigenda came to overlook the uncultivated Kubuqi Desert area. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Yunping

In the hinterland of the Kubuqi Desert, herdsmen have turned 100000 acres of sandy land into oases. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Yunping

Over the past 30 years, especially since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Urigen Dalai has led the surrounding herdsmen to fight against the desert persistently with unimaginable firm belief and strong will, raising the survival rate of trees from 30% to more than 90%, and turning 100000 mu of sandy land into an oasis.

He also took measures with the sand control heroes of Hangjin Banner to control the desert, including locking the northern edge, surrounding the southern region, sealing off the western region, and cutting off the central region, with a total of over 8.4 million acres of desert being controlled.

After the battle of the Yellow River's "Several Character Bend" broke out, Uligen Dalai felt that there was even more work to do.

The Yellow River flows through several deserts and passes through the Loess Plateau, making it the main source of sediment in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River. To prevent sand from entering the Yellow River, it is necessary to strengthen the control of flowing sand along the Yellow River shoreline.

The wish of the people of Gaoxigou Village, Mizhi County, Yulin City, Shaanxi Province, was to never let the mud down the mountain and fill their stomachs. In order to survive, the people of Gaoxigou went up the mountain to plant green soil, renovate farmland, and build slopes and dams.

68 year old villager Gao Zhizhou remembers that when he was in his teens, he was always hungry. "Adults say that as long as there are trees on the mountain, there is food. I wish I could plant all the trees in one day so that I can eat enough," he said.

In the 1970s, people in Gaoxigou managed soil erosion scenarios.

Gaoxigou Village in the Loess Gully is full of green. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Chen Changqi

After years of ups and downs, Gaoxi Gully is now filled with beautiful scenery: under the blue sky and white clouds, surrounded by terraced fields, lush Chinese pine trees, and fruitful pear orchards. The degree of barren mountain management in the entire village has reached 78%, with a forest and grass coverage rate of 70%, effectively controlling soil erosion.

The memories of hunger have faded away, and the people of Gaoxigou still insist on "greening" the yellow soil. Every year, newly developed party members plant at least 100 saplings. Jiang Liangbiao, Secretary of the Party Branch of Gaoxigou Village, said, "With the help of the Yellow River's' several bends' battle, we will continue to consolidate the achievements of decades of ecological governance, make the mountains greener, and make the mother river clearer."

Make good use of a plant of grass to guard an acre of land

"In our saline alkali land, even corn cannot grow up to 1 meter tall, but this grass can grow up to 3 meters tall and covered in treasures." Looking at the tall and dense giant mushroom grass with thick stems and long leaves in the field, Liu Yi, the Party branch secretary of Baofeng Village, still finds it unbelievable.

The soon to mature giant mushroom grass is now the treasure of the villagers in Baofeng Village.

Baofeng Village, Pingluo County, Shizuishan City, Ningxia is located in the northern part of the Yellow River Irrigation Area. Due to strong evaporation, salt accumulates on the surface, and half of the cultivated land is saline alkali land.

"Planting anything doesn't grow well, and sometimes planting a little corn only grows straw and doesn't produce corn." Liu Yi said, "In the past, there was no way out in the fields, and many villagers relied on farming and working to find a new way out.".

Three years ago, experts from the National Fungal Grass Engineering Technology Research Center conducted a trial planting of the giant fungus grass, which was originally suitable for southern growth, on the saline alkali land of Shizuishan, and achieved great success that year.

"Giant mushroom grass has a high protein content and is a good raw material for mushroom cultivation and cattle and sheep breeding. It is also salt tolerant, has developed root systems, produces a large amount of grass, and has a strong ability to 'eat salt'. After more than 100 days of planting, the salt content of the land has decreased by about 70%." Zhou Xingde, a senior agronomist at the research center, said happily.

A typical area of saline alkali land in Pingluo County, where the white exposed part is heavily saline alkali land that is difficult for crops to grow.

Senior agronomist Zhou Xingde introduced the seedlings of giant fungus grass to the reporter. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Ma Lijuan

But the villagers have never heard of giant mushroom grass, how can they encourage everyone to plant it?

Liu Yi calculated for the villagers that one acre of giant mushroom grass can generate a profit of 3000 yuan, which is twice to three times that of the original corn planting. The abandoned land can be revitalized, and the enthusiasm of the villagers to plant giant mushroom grass has greatly increased.

In 2021, Shizuishan City has developed a complete industrial chain of mushroom production, feed processing, and cattle and sheep breeding, driving several villages including Baofeng Village to plant a total of 6000 acres of giant mushroom grass.

Nowadays, mycorrhizal fungi have become the vanguard of ecological management in the Yellow River region. In response to the difficulties of overwintering mycorrhizal plants in the north, China will actively explore the cultivation of mycorrhizal plant varieties that are suitable for ecological restoration and control of desertification through high-tech methods such as gene editing and gene recombination.

On the Hetao Plain adjacent to the Ningxia Plain, the defense battle of "filling the granary" is also underway.

In Dongxing Village, Ulantuk Town, Linhe District, Bayannur City, Inner Mongolia, villagers are chopping up freshly harvested corn into feed. Rows of protective forests stand proudly by the vast farmland, like "green guards".

"With protective forests, there's no need to worry about crops anymore," said Lv Haijun, a 57 year old villager, recalling the scene many years ago when crops were buried in a sandstorm just one foot tall.

Build a protective forest network around Dongxing Village. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Yunping

Located 15 kilometers away from Dongxing Village, it is the state-owned Xinhua Forest Farm established in 1960 in Linhe District. In recent years, forest farms have achieved a leap from artificial planting to mechanical afforestation, and modern technologies such as Beidou satellite navigation have been used for afforestation. After completing the management of sand lockdown, the protective forest area has also been expanded.

After three generations of efforts, the forest farm has afforestation a total of 39000 acres, with a forest coverage rate of 65%, building a solid "green wall" for surrounding farmland and villages.

As an important grain and oil production base in China, Bayannur City has now established a comprehensive protective forest system that combines trees, shrubs, and grass, and integrates agriculture, forestry, and animal husbandry, effectively ensuring the stable and high yield of over 11 million mu of farmland in Hetao Irrigation District, and promoting the increase of production and income for farmers.

Fan Haikuan, Secretary of the Party Committee of Ulan Tuk Town, said, "After the battle of the Yellow River's' several bends', we have comprehensively accelerated the construction of high standard farmland, equipped high-quality farmland protection forest networks, and continued to play the stable ecological benefits of protection forests."

Repair the original area and care for the Honghu Lake

Not long ago, all the herdsmen of Bayinchagan Gacha in Urad Houqi, Inner Mongolia made a decision: within the next five years, the area of the Haloxylon ammodendron forest will be expanded to 100000 acres, with Haloxylon ammodendron mainly being inoculated with Cistanche deserticola and livestock being kept in captivity as a supplement.

This decision is not easy for generations of herders who rely on grazing for a living.

Bayin Chagan Gacha is located in the semi desertified grassland area of the Yellow River, with fragile ecology. To fundamentally reverse grassland degradation, it is necessary to break away from traditional grazing management models.

In 2021, Urad Houqi implemented a project to artificially plant Haloxylon ammodendron and inoculate Cistanche deserticola in some pastoral areas, which not only prevents wind and sand, but also increases income.

But at first, some of the herders in Bayinchagangacha were not satisfied. "The grassland closure and protection have affected grazing, and coupled with the fact that everyone has never planted the shuttle, I don't know what the result will be," said Baoyu, the secretary of the Gacha Party branch.

To dispel the doubts of herdsmen, Baoyu and members of the Gacha Party branch were the first to inoculate 7000 acres of Cistanche deserticola in the natural Haloxylon ammodendron forest, and also planted 11000 acres of Haloxylon ammodendron in the collective grassland.

Two years later, watching the grassland turn green, the Haloxylon ammodendron forest survive, and the Cistanche deserticola grow happily, the herdsmen were moved.

After being protected by lockdowns and artificial planting of Haloxylon ammodendron, green grasslands have been restored. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Yunping

"Cistanche deserticola can be harvested next year, with a net income of 8.4 million yuan. 35% will be used to expand the planting area, and the remaining 65% will be distributed as dividends to everyone." Baoyu seized the opportunity and calculated for the herdsmen.

Nowadays, ecological prosperity has become a consensus among herdsmen. "Grassland is the foundation of our survival and requires everyone to protect it together. Planting a good Haloxylon ammodendron forest can achieve both desertification control and wealth creation," said herdsman Wu Renchahu.

Recently, Inner Mongolia launched the battle for ecological governance of the Yellow River's "several bends". Chen Yongquan, Deputy Director of Inner Mongolia Forestry and Grassland Bureau, said, "General Secretary emphasized the need to 'protect and restore the wetlands and natural grasslands of the Hetao Plain.' We will focus on the degradation and overgrazing of natural grasslands, adopt measures such as fence enclosure and grassland improvement to promote comprehensive management of degraded and desertified grasslands, and continuously improve the ecological quality and stability of grasslands."

The damaged skin of the grassland has been relieved, and the wetland lakes known as the "kidney of the Yellow River" are also accelerating their repair.

Migratory birds are flying south again. Li Zhijun, a bird watching enthusiast in Yinchuan, Ningxia, woke up at 4:30 am and drove to a wetland in the suburbs to observe the teaching site of the "Migratory Bird University". Under the guidance of the adult birds, groups of herons and egrets were trained to hunt, avoid and other skills, making final preparations for long-distance migration.

"These are all small scenes, and the big star among birds - the national second level protected wild animal, the little swan, is even more eye-catching!" said Li Zhijun excitedly.

Citizens are watching migratory birds in Haibao Park, Yinchuan City, Ningxia. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wang Peng

Yinchuan City is dotted with lakes and wetlands, known as the "Lake City on the Frontier". It is an important migration route and habitat for birds in western China and East Asia Australia.

But in the past, due to land reclamation and urban expansion, the lake cluster has gradually shrunk.

Li Zhijun has been engaged in bird observation for nearly 20 years, and for a long time in the past, it was difficult to see the trace of swans. In the past two years, he suddenly noticed that the population of small swans in Yinchuan City was gradually increasing. "The year before last, I saw more than 300 at once, which caused a sensation in the bird circle.".

The swan has high requirements for its habitat, requiring both a wide water surface for safe wintering and a wide range of shallow swamps for feeding. "They appear in groups, indicating that the wetland ecological environment is getting better and better," said Li Zhijun.

In recent years, with the implementation of a number of wetland protection and restoration projects, the vast expanse of blue waves have reappeared in the lakes and wetlands of Yinchuan City, and the wetland protection rate has reached 65.9%. More and more rare birds are using this place as a migration "relay station".

The river is clear, and both sides are green. A beautiful picture of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature is slowly unfolding in the bend of the Yellow River.