Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps devoted to building habitable homeland

Xinjiang Production and Construction Corporation in northwest China combines the duties of carrying out agriculture and forestry work and safeguarding stability.

Over the past five years, it has planted 150 thousand hectares of forest and turned 470 thousand hectares of desert into green lands.

Tarim reclamation zone is situated between Taklimakan and Kumtag desert.

Due to years of environmental degradation, two deserts are expanding toward each other at a combined speed of five meters per year.

At the closest point, the two deserts are separated by just two kilometres.

The wind proof woodland Xinjiang Production and Construction Corporation planted in Xinjiang [Photo: baidu.com]

To prevent the deserts from further expanding, 60 thousand workers from Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps have been planting sand-proof forests.

With their efforts, a 180 kilometer long, 14 kilometer wide green belt has been created between the deserts.

Tang Zhengjun is a retired forest ranger who worked at the Tarim reclamation zone.

He says he still comes back to the woodland every now and then to look after the trees they planted.

He recalled the rampant sandstorms of old times.

"When the sandstorm came, there were no shelters. We had to crawl down on the open ground. When the storm passed, it felt like my whole skin was ripped off. People who met me would ask why I look so much older in such short time."

Alataw Pass is a major wind passage in North Xinjiang. Residents living there have to suffer the overwhelming windy weather most of the time.

In 2011 when the national forestation project was initiated, personnel from XPCC stationed at Alataw Pass started to plant trees on the barren mountains and hills.

A division of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corporation based in south of Mount Tianshan organize forestry work on Apr 12, 2016. [Photo: chinanews.com]

In six years, 13 hundred hectares of forest has been planted. The yellow skies that used to be seen before the trees were planted have not been seen recently.

Li Shuyong is a senior worker of a XPCC division quartered there.

"Back in 1980, when the cotton just sprouted, the coming wind could easily kill them all. Now the situation is much better. The winds come less and also blows shorter in time."

Yang Yu is a vice divisional commander of XPCC working at the front line of eco-construction in Xinjiang.

He said the forest coverage rate has significantly increased over the past few years.

"Environmental protection and ecosystem construction is the foundation of our company's development. We are here not only to guarantee safety and stability, but also defend ecosystem, with responsibility to guard Xinjiang's green lands and build a beautiful Xinjiang."

The improved ecosystem has modified regional weather conditions. Windy days are now fewer in certain areas.

With the protection of the new forests, farmland has also become more fertile. Dates and liquorice are now grown in the fields along with cotton, which had been the only crop choice before.

These new crops have helped to raise incomes for local farmers and their families.