Turning Sands into Forests: How Ningxia's Baijitan Reserve Combats Desertification

The Baijitan National Nature Reserve in Ningxia, China, has transformed a once-barren landscape into a thriving ecosystem, shielding Yinchuan and its residents from the encroaching Mu Us Desert. Over 40 years, innovative techniques like the straw chequerboard method have stabilized 66,770 hectares of sand, reduced dust deposition, and increased vegetation and biodiversity. Recognized globally, Baijitan’s success serves as a model for combating desertification, inspiring international collaboration and restoring fragile ecosystems.

"Not a bird in the sky nor a leaf to be found." This old saying, once common in the arid stretches of northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, paints a vivid picture of the harsh conditions its communities faced. For decades, the relentless advance of the Mu Us Desert threatened livelihoods, turning once-fertile lands into barren wastelands. However, a monumental environmental effort has transformed this narrative, with the Baijitan National Nature Reserve emerging as a frontline defense against the encroaching sands.

Battling the Sands: A 40-Year Journey

Over the past 40 years, the Baijitan reserve has shielded Ningxia’s capital, Yinchuan, and its nearly 3 million residents, from the desert’s relentless march. By the 1950s, the Mu Us Desert had crept to within just 5 kilometers (3 miles) of the vital Yellow River, jeopardizing agriculture and raising the riverbed with windblown sand.

Through a combination of sand control and afforestation initiatives, Baijitan has reclaimed 45,860 hectares (113,333 acres) of land from the desert, stabilizing nearly 66,770 hectares (165,000 acres) of drifting sand. Remarkably, the desert’s edge has been pushed back over 20 kilometers (12 miles), transforming what was once a desolate expanse into a thriving ecosystem.

When the project began, the desert in the Baijitan area spanned 107,900 hectares (266,667 acres)—equivalent to the land area of Hong Kong. Today, less than 1,335 hectares (3,300 acres) of dunes remain, preserved for research and demonstration purposes.

Innovations in Desert Management

Baijitan’s success is not only a local triumph but has also garnered international attention. Visitors from across China and more than 40 countries come to study its methods, collectively referred to as “the Ningxia experience.” Key to this success is a technique known as the “straw chequerboard.”

This innovative method, originally designed to halt desert encroachment along northern railways, involves laying straw in a grid pattern on sand dunes. The straw is embedded 15 to 20 centimeters (6 to 8 inches) deep, with strict spacing requirements to prevent wind from blowing through. Sand is then compacted against the straw base, creating a stable barrier that halts erosion.

Zhang Xueyun, a veteran of over three decades at the reserve, demonstrated the technique to journalists under Yinchuan’s unforgiving September sun. “It may seem simple, but every step has precise requirements,” he explained. Each grid measures one square meter, and proper execution ensures the sand remains anchored.

Zhang, now 50, has witnessed Baijitan’s transformation firsthand. He began working at the reserve in 1993, when it was a remote and inhospitable place with no water, electricity, or internet. “We had to walk everywhere,” he recalled. Today, Zhang manages over 67 hectares (167 acres) of forest and 110,000 trees.

A Holistic Approach to Restoration

While the Yellow River lies just 30 kilometers (19 miles) from Baijitan, Ningxia’s arid climate posed significant challenges. Early attempts at planting trees and shrubs often failed as the vegetation consumed too much water. Under the leadership of Wang Youde, a nationally recognized forestry expert, the reserve developed a comprehensive desertification control strategy.

This approach combined the straw chequerboard technique with other solutions, such as planting grass and shrub seeds during rains, using nutrient bags to aid afforestation, and strategically planting seedlings in spring and autumn.

Zhang emphasized the importance of timing: “Focus on afforestation during the rainy season. Plant trees whenever it rains.” With just 160 millimeters (6 inches) of annual rainfall in Yinchuan, these methods have achieved impressive results. Survival rates for new vegetation now exceed 75 percent, with vegetation coverage surpassing 45 percent within three years.

Signs of Revival

The impact of Baijitan’s efforts is visible not just in the landscape but also in the return of wildlife. A 2022 study by Beijing Forestry University revealed a dramatic reduction in dust deposition downwind of the reserve, dropping from 322 million tonnes in 2001 to just 19.9 million tonnes in 2019—a mere 6.18 percent of the 2001 level.

Meanwhile, the reserve’s windbreak and sand-fixing capabilities have steadily improved, increasing by nearly 20 percent over two decades. This growing vegetation has fostered biodiversity, with shrubs, trees, beetles, birds, and even nationally protected species like the leopard cat now calling Baijitan home.

The leopard cat, first recorded by the reserve’s monitoring system in 2021, symbolizes the ecosystem’s recovery. Wang Xiaolin, director of the Baijitan Management Station, described its presence as “a clear testament to the success of the ecological restoration project.”

Recognized as a “global model for desertification control” by the United Nations Environment Programme in 2017, Baijitan’s achievements have inspired international collaboration. In the past five years, training programs have brought together participants from over 40 countries, including Libya and Zimbabwe, eager to learn from Ningxia’s success.

As Baijitan continues to thrive, its story serves as a beacon of hope and a reminder that even the harshest environments can be transformed through innovation, perseverance, and a commitment to the planet’s future.