China’s Green Wall; 66 billion trees in the largest artificial forest in history

Another great wall is being built in China; But not made of stone and brick! China is building a living defense barrier against the relentless advance of the desert; A project called “Great Green Wall” which started in 1978 with the planting of more than 66 billion trees and is supposed to become one of the greatest achievements of ecological engineering in history with the planting of another 34 billion trees. (Live Science)

The huge effort to build the green wall is a response to the advance of two sand giants, the Gobi Desert and the Teklemekan Desert. These deserts, which have been devouring fertile land since the 1950s due to massive urbanization and agricultural development, destroy thousands of square kilometers of China’s grasslands every year and send devastating sandstorms into cities like Beijing.

Photographer: Unknown / UNCCD

If all goes according to plan, by 2050 China’s tree wall will stretch 4,500 kilometers. This means that the forest cover of the earth has increased by 10% since the late 1970s, by China alone. The goal is to curb soil erosion and stop sandstorms that seriously threaten air quality.

Despite decades of effort, the effectiveness of the massive Green Wall project remains in doubt. While some studies report a decrease in sandstorms, critics believe the change is more due to climate factors than tree planting.

Photographer: Unknown / Forbes

One of the biggest weaknesses of the green wall is its single-ship structure. Large parts of this artificial forest are covered with only one or two species of trees, mainly spruce and willow. This strategy makes the wall highly vulnerable to disease. For example, in 2000, a single pathogen killed a billion poplar trees in Ningxia province.

The biggest challenge is the water crisis. Trees are planted in areas that are not naturally capable of forest growth. This not only requires constant human intervention, but also drains underground water resources quickly.

Photographer: Unknown / Live Science

Xian Xue, a leading desertification expert at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, warns:

Mass planting of trees in natural sand dunes and gobi has caused a sharp decrease in soil moisture and the level of underground water. This work can actually lead to desertification in some areas.

Unlike a natural forest, China’s artificial forest does not promote biodiversity. However, China’s Green Wall project has inspired a similar initiative in Africa; 8000 km long wall to fight desertification in this continent. It shows that the dream of bridging the desert with a wall of trees is still alive, despite all the doubts.

Photographer: Unknown / Economist

What do you think? Can projects like China’s green wall be a solution to climate change? Tell me about your point of view.

Cover photo made with artificial intelligence