You may know that Dunhuang is located in the desert of northwest China, where the sand dunes riseand fall, fierce winds rage, and water is scarce, making it a land unsuitablefor most life. But you might not know about a group of people who have beenplanting trees in Dunhuang for decades, bringing more vitality to thisseemingly barren land.

(Greening Program·Dunhuang Hongliuquan site)

Tough Desert Planting Conditions

The best time for treeplanting is from April to October each year, during which the average summertemperature reaches 32˚C, with highs of up to 40˚C! High temperatures, sunburn,and heatstroke are enormous challenges that planters must overcome.

(Tree plantingvolunteers planting trees)

Additionally, plantersmust traverse the desert and gobi, with a lack of transportation necessitatingtrekking through hills and even walking across sand dunes to reach the plantingsites. Each batch of saplings and shovels must be carried into the desert underthe scorching sun, with heavy equipment and tools adding to the difficulties.

(Sapling of Haloxylon)

Although the treeplanting process seems simple—digging holes, planting trees, and watering—eachstep is a severe test in the desert. When digging holes, we must digcontinuously downward in the sand until we reach the precious moist soil belowthe water table. The holes are often deeper than the saplings to ensure thatthe trees can root deeply, with roots stretching up to 15 meters to draw everydrop of water needed for survival.

(Tree plantingvolunteers dig holes and plant trees)

Long-term Maintenanceof Haloxylon Trees

Planting trees is justthe first step in addressing Dunhuang's desertification challenge. Thesubsequent maintenance demands and time commitments are staggering. Theseinclude ongoing costs for irrigation and labor. Given Dunhuang's limited waterresources, irrigation water often needs to be transported from distant sources.Workers meticulously operate water trucks to precisely irrigate each sapling,consuming considerable economic, energy, and time resources. Manual watering isessential two to three times a month to ensure the saplings sprout within amonth. Yet, this is only the beginning; daily watering is required for threeyears until the saplings can thrive independently.

(New planted sapling ofhaloxylon)

The Value of Planting Trees

The Greening Program'sDunhuang base is located at Hongliuquan, facing the northern wind gap, one ofthe world's four major wind gap. As shown in the map, Hongliujing is northeastof the Mogao Caves and Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring in Dunhuang. Each treeplanted in Hongliuquan effectively blocks the wind and sand from attackingDunhuang.

（Location of Dunhuang Hongliuquan）

The Greening Programoffers volunteers the opportunity to engage in environmental protection,safeguarding Dunhuang's gobi and desert. Simultaneously, it enriches theirexperiences, expands their horizons, and enhances the significance of theirlives.

Small Actions, Big Impact

1. Co-building a PublicEcological Forest

If you have a love for nature, a longing for agreen ecosystem, and a desire to contribute to our environment, the GreeningProgram eagerly awaits your participation! Here, you will not only have theopportunity to plant Haloxylon trees by hand but also receive an officialvolunteer certificate issued by the United Nations, adding honor andrecognition to your public welfare journey.

(Previous GreeningProgram activities)

The Greening Program isopen for registration starting July 1, 2024. Activities will be held everyWednesday, Saturday, and Sunday, with a one-day duration per event, forming agroup with eight participants. We look forward to working with you to build apublic ecological forest and bring new vitality to the Dunhuang desert. Moreoffline tree planting bases nationwide will soon be open. Registrationinquiries are now fully available.

(Sample GreeningProgram Certificate)

2.Online Planting

If you wish to join usbut cannot attend in person, we still welcome volunteers to contribute online.Cloud planting is for environmentalists worldwide who are concerned aboutdesertification and hope to change the earth. Through our official website, youcan easily participate in cloud planting activities. Upon successfulparticipation, you will receive a volunteer certificate issued by UNITAR/CIFALHUBEI and a unique number for the area where your sapling is planted.Contribute online to the fight against desertification in Dunhuang. TheGreening Program welcomes the participation of all volunteers! We look forwardto your contribution to combating desertification!