Iris Wong / Host

For decades, this advancing desert threatened to swallow the Minqin Oasis - where the Badain Jaran and Tengger deserts nearly merged. Today? A different story unfolds.

Mr. Zhang / Forestry Engineer

These are straw checkerboard barriers, crafted from crop waste. What you see here is a double-row design—its job? Locking loose sand in place. But plants are the real heroes. These hardy desert species boost long-term sand control, turning shifting dunes into stable land.

Iris Wong:

For 46 years, this battle against the desert has raged—and won. 320,000 sq km of new forest now stand where sand once ruled. That’s about 1.7 million Hong Kongs! An oasis in the desert? Impressive. But turning a wasteland into a thriving green belt? That’s a human-made miracle—one that’s rewriting the future for both nature and people. This is China’s largest desert botanical garden—a living laboratory for beating the sands.

Dr. Li Changlong / Botanist

Our plants must pass three tests: First, toughness—they laugh at drought. Second, they must spread naturally. And third? They’ve got to survive the wild with minimal care. Finally, they must pay their way. Economic returns fuel this green revolution, making sustainability possible. This is saxaul tree—our sand-fighting MVP. Reaching just 1-2 meters, it’s a natural windbreak, scrubbing dust from the air and anchoring the soil.

Iris Wong:

Where yellow sand once buried villages, now 200 sq km of new forest pushes the sandstorm line 20 km back. The 'impassable' Babusha is now a thriving forest farm. Welcome to Jiuduntan Solar Station, where the Tengger Desert meets cutting-edge green tech. Let’s see how solar power and farming join forces!

Zhang Kewei / Energy Developer

Our secret? These raised solar panels. Their flexible design shelters crops below without stealing their sunlight.

Iris Wong:

Beneath the panels, four-wing saltbush thrives—a protein-packed livestock feed. But wait, there’s more: its roots graft with precious Cistanche herbs. Clean energy, smart agriculture, and booming ecology—all in one low-carbon win!