Taming the Desert
A unique opportunity for everyone. We are moving forward with the promised second part of the series about the Uyghur Autonomous Region of Xinjiang, focusing on the traditions and culture of the local ethnic groups. The current heatwave has prompted us to prioritize an extremely urgent topic: desertification prevention and control. In other words, the fight against deserts, in which China has made tremendous progress and is generously sharing its valuable know-how with the world.
We descend a narrow staircase into a vertical underground shaft. Portraits of scientists adorn the walls on both sides. György Hevesy (1885–1966), the father of radiochemistry, a "detective" of atomic movement in chemical and biological processes. Robert Watson-Watt (1892–1973), the inventor of radar, or rather, georadar. Ralph Bagnold (1896–1990), the founder of modern science related to the movement of sand dunes. What do they have in common? Let's wait for the answer. We descend lower, step by step. The portraits are replaced by panels of reinforced glass, behind which we can observe cross-sections of layers of sand using our mobile phone flashlights. It works similarly to a formicarium – an ant farm with glass walls, through which children in many Czech IQ parks watch the life of ants.
We are now fifteen meters underground. The flashlight beam in the sand behind the glass reveals vertical tufts of hair-like structures. Roots! This is why the staff of the National Field Research Station for the Study of Desert and Steppe Ecosystems built the shaft. To study the life of desert flora or microorganisms from collected samples.
Researchers also monitor the desert from a nearby meteorological tower (as well as from satellite images). The tower is used to determine wind speed and direction, sand and dust movement, temperature profiles, air humidity, and other factors related to desertification.
From its top, we have a view of the entire hundred-hectare area of the institute, which belongs to the Institute of Ecology and Geography of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Xinjiang. We see experimental fields with many species of plants. Laboratories. A lecture hall. The main building of the station, where we quickly head to cool down. And to learn fascinating facts about humanity's struggle against shifting sands.
Meteorological tower of the National Field Research Station for the Study of Desert and Steppe Ecosystems, Topairik village, Cele County, Hotan Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
The city of Cele is located on the southern edge of the Taklamakan Desert. For centuries, it has been called the "Desert of Death" or the "Place from which there is no return." It is characterized by extreme aridity and very low biological activity, which experts describe as a so-called "biological vacuum." It lies in the middle of the Tarim Basin, surrounded by massive mountain ranges: the Tian Shan to the north, the Kunlun Mountains to the south, and the Pamirs to the west. Some peaks reach over 7,000 meters. They are so high that they capture the last traces of moisture that make their way here from the ocean, located 2,000 km away. The vast territory is almost entirely covered by sand dunes, which are world record holders with a height of up to 300 meters. And they move; scientists call it "drifting."
The city of Cele had to be moved three times to avoid being swallowed by the dunes! The last time was in the 1980s, when around 500 families had to leave their homes. The dunes approached within a kilometer of the city, and some houses were buried in sand overnight. This was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. The fight against desertification, which began in the 1970s, took on a systematic character, with the main headquarters becoming a field research station established in 1983.
We are looking at lecture halls that have been attended by generations of scientists from many disciplines over more than 40 years. Combating desertification is a multidisciplinary field based on a complex set of knowledge from many scientific areas. That's why those portraits are in the glass underground shaft at the beginning of the report! The reputation and importance of the research station on the edge of the desert long ago extended beyond the borders of China. In recent years, the station has hosted a number of foreign doctoral students. Recruiting these highly qualified professionals has significantly strengthened the station's capabilities in technological innovation and international cooperation. A strong foundation has been created for groundbreaking discoveries, and most importantly, for their practical application, both in China and abroad.
Based on models for protection against moving sand and vegetation restoration, a comprehensive set of technologies was developed at the research station. These include irrigation-based afforestation on mobile sand areas, non-irrigation afforestation, and the construction of protective belts around oases. These technologies are successfully exported and used in ecological restoration projects such as the Aral Sea and the so-called "Great Green Wall" in Africa. They have proven effective in Kazakhstan, Ethiopia, and Mauritania, where researchers adapt them to local conditions. Many other countries struggling with expanding deserts are also discussing similar projects.
Experimental plots of the National Field Research Station for the study of desert and steppe ecosystems.
Beneath the surface, it develops an exceptionally deep root system. Research in Taklamakan revealed that main roots can penetrate up to 15 meters deep while lateral roots spread several meters outward. The plant draws water from underground layers rather than rainfall and even produces its own fertilizer! It lives in symbiosis with Rhizobium bacteria, which fix nitrogen, convert it into forms usable by plants, and gradually enrich the surrounding soil. For these reasons, Alhagi sparsifolia is often called a pioneer species. It prepares conditions for further growth: stabilizes sand using extensive roots, slows wind just above the surface, and creates shade. The thorn can endure conditions that would kill most other plants: temperatures over 45 °C, highly saline soils, long droughts, frequent sandstorms, and burial under shifting sands.
In the second row, saxaul saplings (Haloxylon ammodendron) are planted. These trees are taller and better block wind gusts. They bind sand effectively; together with Caspian karelinia (Karelinia caspica) and branching tamarisk (Tamarix ramosissima), they form dense stands that serve as windbreaks. Tamarisk belongs to so-called halophytes—plants tolerating high salt concentrations, which it excretes through glands on its leaves. Finally, we reach the trees. Within five years of planting camel thorns, the surface is stabilized enough to plant root cuttings from Euphrates poplar (Populus euphratica). Trees have deep roots but are usually irrigated via drip irrigation with water sourced from Tian Shan glaciers or rivers until they establish themselves. Poplars withstand extreme heat and cold, tolerate salinity, provide shade, and create a forest microclimate for the long term: they can live up to 200 years.
Camel thorn can transfer water from the mother plant to its clone.
From Spades to Bulldozers and Drones
Just two decades ago, planting green barriers meant grueling labor. In spring, frequent sandstorms filled the air with suffocating dust; in summer, temperatures soared up to 50 degrees Celsius, making life in the desert unbearable. Under these conditions, workers covered as much as 40 kilometers daily. They manufactured grids for stabilizing sand, planted seedlings, cut reed used as support for saplings, and carried irrigation hoses and other materials on their backs.
For example, a green barrier stretching 23 km in length and up to seven kilometers wide was planted to protect the Qiemo oasis (500 km from Cele). In just two decades, 10,000 hectares of desert transformed into a verdant landscape with pleasant climate.
Today, however, methods for planting ecological corridors have changed dramatically. As we observed through the window of an autobus traveling along a desert highway, vast areas are first leveled by heavy machinery. They cross strips with higher profiles where vehicles carrying workers and equipment move. All operations proceed incomparably faster. Planting brigades conduct terrain surveys using drones and avoid exhausting marches.
The Great Green Wall
The methods developed by the Chinese scientific center are easily transferable to various regions of the world. Therefore, delegations from the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) are frequent guests in China. UNOSSC is a platform for cooperation between countries of the Global South. Its mission is to help these countries share experiences, technologies, and proven solutions without relying on assistance from economically developed countries. China has invested heavily in UNOSCC programs over the past two decades. Its successes in afforestation and landscape restoration, particularly projects around the Taklamakan Desert or the Three-North Shelter Forest Program (known as the "Great Green Wall of China"), are presented as "best practices" for other countries and regions.
The "Great Green Wall" in China has been "built" since 1978. It has become a central tool against desertification and the spread of the Gobi and Taklamakan deserts. To date, 66 billion trees have been planted, with plans for 100 billion by 2050. The enclosure of the Taklamakan Desert was completed in 2024. This green barrier, over 3,000 km long, has become the longest defensive system in the ecotone zone in the world. In addition, an ecological corridor almost 450 km long has been created along the Luntai–Minfeng highway, which runs through the Taklamakan Desert from north to south.
According to climate scientists, these forests have a measurable environmental impact. In some areas, the vegetation on the edges of the desert is so developed that it can absorb more CO2 than the local ecosystem produces. Studies confirm that dense forests typical of the tropics are not necessary for effective carbon sequestration, but relatively sparse thickets and trees (especially camel thorn) also play a significant role in storing carbon from the atmosphere.
Lecture under the open sky (pracovnice_ustavu.jpg)
Saving Europe's Climate
We are writing these lines during a peak heatwave. In the Czech Republic, this is the second series of extremely high temperatures this year, but in France, it is already the fourth. Fires in southern Europe are forcing thousands of people to leave their homes. Vast areas are becoming uninhabitable, and even resilient cultures, such as vineyards that have been growing in the same place for millennia, are being destroyed by the heat. Europe is warming up faster than any other part of the world. Desertification affects 15% of the EU's territory. By 2040, this could increase by another 10%: threatening to dry out and degrade soil on a million square kilometers. The Danube is drying up, and many climatologists warn: "This is the coldest summer we will ever experience."
In this almost apocalyptic context, we understand our report as extremely important. Humans are capable of conquering deserts. Green spaces are the most effective shield against global warming. However, we must be determined and stop just talking about the problem. We must restore greenery, moisture, and life to the landscape. The know-how exists.