Planting trees to stop desertification - Solution or Folly?

[bhchao]

The Chinese government has begun a massive campaign to stop the expansion of the Taklimakan desert in Xinjiang by planting trees. The Taklimakan is one of the most inhospitable places on earth and is roughly the size of Germany. Two years ago, the government announced that it plans to plant trees in an area of 170,000 squares miles (a little over the size of California) to fence in the Taklimakan desert.

This sounds like an absurd idea, but its long-term effects is yet to be seen. Expanding deserts like the Gobi are a major problem in China, since dust storms from the desert cause air problems not only in Beijing; which lies only 60 miles away, but also carry dust to Korea, Japan, and the western United States.

Critics say that the planting of trees to stop the expansion of the Taklimakan is useless because the desert will keep on growing anyway. There are several options to deal with this expansion; continue the current tree-planting, do nothing about it because nature tends to be uncontrollable, or stop the current human grazing activities in the grasslands that is contributing to the expansion. The only problem with the latter is it might hurt local economic activities.

[shibo77]

The planting of trees was a popular method from the 50's, when everyone helped out planting trees to make the country greener. In the early 90's, dust from the Gobi Desert had extended to the Beijing Municipality, and the government started planting vast amounts of trees to the northwest. Along with stopping the deforestation in Inner Mongolia's Greater Xin'an Range.

Now Beijing is much better in this aspect.

As for the Taklimakan, it's second in size in Asia. I don't think it's a wise idea, but I am not sure any better alternatives. There are also alot of seasonal rivers there, perhaps they could be of use. I don't know about this, but I think they start with the oases, and expand the sze of the oases, such as the Turfan and the Ürümqi. Anyways, I could it works to block off the advancing desert.

-Shibo

[wix]

The reasons for the expansion of the desert are overgrazing and cropping land which is unsuitable. Planting trees is a good idea, but unless you have concurrent changes in land use it will achieve little.

PS I think I posted something about this topic earlier. Try searching for "dust storms".

[bhchao]

Ah, ok I see it now. I should have added this to the topic you posted. Thanks Wix.

[wix]

for those interested the topic I originally posted about dust storms can be found at http://www.chinese-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=1456

[skylee]

Plant trees and there will be illegal logging. If there are no more trees on the mainland they go elsewhere to fell trees for the timber (read the following report from yahoo news) -

內地人砍羅漢松加刑35%

7月 22日 星期四 14:39 更新

區域法院判處5名砍伐羅漢松的內地男子加刑35%，分別被判囚2年8個月至5年2個月。

控方指，該5名男子在西貢砍伐羅漢松，涉嫌串謀偷竊罪名成立，但判刑過輕，要求加刑35%。漁護署稱，近年偷竊羅漢松罪行猖獗，被偷竊的9棵羅漢松，有40年樹齡，非常珍貴，被告已破壞自然生態環境。法官指該5名內地男子罪行嚴重，故同意加刑。有關罪行原判刑2年監禁，現加至2年8個月，負責駕船的男子則判囚5年2個月，成為首宗偷羅漢松加刑的案件。

案發於今年2月，5名被告由南澳乘坐舢舨，抵達西貢沿岸，砍伐的9棵羅漢松，市值6萬港元。

羅漢松四季常綠，寓意長壽，內地羅漢松售價被炒高，可達數十萬元一棵。至於香樹（又名土沉香），樹脂可製成香料及供藥用，木材可製成線香。

本港郊野公園去年共有79宗非法砍樹個案，除羅漢松和香樹，亦有本港郊外常見的相思、龍眼和芭蕉樹等，有個案甚至一次過有逾百棵樹木被砍。