FARMS PROTECTED BY TREES
Hexi Corridor, Gansu Province, April 24th, 2006 Ñ A sandstorm is triggered by spring winds in Wuwei, an oasis where farmers cultivate grapes, corn, melons and beer barley, among others, even at the desertÕs edge. Authorities are trying to protect cropland from winds that blow away the dry fertile soil by planting tree fences. Plastic film covers the seeded area to retain moisture and reduce water use. In the foreground is a dried-up reservoir.
A strategic passageway of the ancient Silk Road trade route, stretching over 1,600 km between high mountain ranges, the Hexi Corridor suffers from dramatic desertification, forcing displacement of populations. The regionÕs fertile oases, fed by groundwater from the melting snow of the Tibetan Plateau, are in danger of being turned to sand by excess farming and overpumping of the aquifer.
Add A Comment