A cloud in the desert

Tang Ximing, deputy head of Zhongwei sand stabilization tree farm, invented a tool to place plants deep into the sand, which has since been used by many other provinces and saved funds of over 60 million yuan.

Since 1992, the straw squares have not only protected the railway but also stopped the sand from flowing into the city.

Zhongwei sand stabilization tree farm was enlisted in the Global 500 Roll of Honor for Environmental Achievement established by United Nations Environment Programme in 1994.

The straw square method to stabilize sand is called the Chinese magic cube, and it has attracted experts and officials from over 60 countries to come and learn about it.

Zhongwei has finished building the straw square and growing shrub wood, which now covers 28,000 hectares, and has built a 60-kilometer long tree belt for wind management and sand stabilization.

The distance between the desert and Zhongwei has now been pushed back to over 20 kilometers.

Hu Dongmei contributed to this story.