A campaign aimed at reversing the desertification of Hunshandake Sandy Land is held in Xiliin Gol League on Oct 26. [Photo provided to goinnermongolia.com.cn]

Xiliin Gol League in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region on Oct 26 launched a major campaign aimed at reversing the desertification of Hunshandake Sandy Land.

The event was attended by more than 400 representatives from various sectors of society.

Hunshandake Sandy Land, one of the four largest sandy lands in China, is the nearest among them to Beijing. It is characterized by a large area of desertified land that is widely distributed within the region.

The area covered by Hunshandake Sandy Land in Xiliin Gol League is about 52.94 million mu (3.53 million hectares).

To combat desertification, Xiliin Gol League has planned comprehensive remedies for a total of 31.99 million mu of desertified land.

The goal is to reclaim about 11.20 million mu, or over 35 percent of the total task, by 2025.

A campaign aimed at reversing the desertification of Hunshandake Sandy Land is held in Xiliin Gol League on Oct 26. [Photo provided to goinnermongolia.com.cn]

By 2028, it aims to have reclaimed 28.79 million mu, accomplishing over 90 percent of the total mission.

By 2030, the goal is to have fully completed the reclamation work, thereby winning the battle against desertification in Hunshandake Sandy Land.

In recent years, Xiliin Gol League has persistently made new achievements in promoting desertification prevention and control.

To date, a total of 23.12 million mu of forestry and grassland ecological construction tasks have been completed.

The forest coverage rate in the league increased from 7.2 percent in 2012 to 7.6 percent in 2022.

The average grassland vegetation coverage there increased from 43.52 percent in 2001-2011 to 45.14 percent in 2012-2022.

Additionally, the area of desertified land has been systematically reduced by 2.31 million mu, and the area of moving and semi-fixed sandy land has been cut by 4.47 million mu.

Hunshandake Sandy Land, one of the four largest sandy lands in China, is greener due to years' green efforts. [Photo provided to goinnermongolia.com.cn]