Xinjiang's Tarim River diverted and channeled to nurture world's largest desert poplar forest

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Xinjiang's Tarim River diverted and channeled to nurture world's largest desert poplar forest
Xinhua | Updated: 2020-08-17 16:31

URUMQI - The Tarim River in the southern part of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, also China's longest inland river, has been diverted to flow across the world's largest desert poplar forest as part of an ecological restoration campaign.

The sluices along the Tarim River are being opened gradually during the high-water season to channel water across some 15 million mu (about 1 million hectares) of desert poplar forest in the river's basin.

This is the fifth year for the ecological restoration project designed to nurture the drought-resistant plant that serves as a major greening force in south Xinjiang's deserts.

A total of nearly 8.2 billion cubic meters of water has flowed into the forest since 2016, and another inflow of 1.86 billion cubic meters of water is expected this year.

The region is seeing marked increases in vegetation and waterfowl. The biological diversity had almost doubled in the river's downstream area in the past four years, data from the Chinese Academy of Sciences showed.

Xinjiang's Tarim River channeled to nurture world's largest desert poplar forest

The Tarim River in the southern part of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, also China's longest inland river, has been diverted to flow across the world's largest desert poplar forest as part of an ecological restoration campaign.

www.chinadaily.com.cn

 

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world's largest desert poplar forest in the world second biggest desert, The Taklamakan desert

Numerous Caspian tigers used to roam these desert forests decades ago

 

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world's largest desert poplar forest in the world second biggest desert, The Taklamakan desert
Numerous Caspian tigers used to roam these desert forests decades ago

 

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The Taklamakan desert local villagers, the villagers living the heart of this huge desert who were unknown to the outside world until recently. Legend says they are the descendents of a small group of Genghis Khan's Mongol soldiers who got lost in the Taklamakan hence settled down there.

 

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Local desert fishermen, many locals traditionally made their livings solely by fishing in the desert

 

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多年浇灌后，152万亩变成1500万亩: After some years diversion water supply, the size of the poplar forest in the The Taklamakan desert had grown from 1.52 million Mu to 15 million Mu, a 10 times expansion.

 

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多年浇灌后，152万亩变成1500万亩: After some years diversion water supply, the size of the poplar forest in the The Taklamakan desert had grown from 1.52 million Mu to 15 million Mu, a 10 times expansion.

 

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Booming tourism

 

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