XINING, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Around the start of the 21st century, Madoi, dubbed "County of Thousands of Lakes" in northwest China's Qinghai Province was passing through a bleak time -- drying lakes, mountains with receding snow and decreasing wildlife. But now the land has been sheathed in green again.

Madoi is in a core area of the Yellow River's headwaters region of the Sanjiangyuan (Three-River-Source) National Park, a pilot project. Sanjiangyuan, meaning the "source of three rivers," is home to the headwaters of the Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang rivers.

Situated at an altitude of over 4,200 meters, the county had more ecological problems to contend with. The grasslands degenerated and were also damaged by marmots.

From 2003 to 2004, the rivers in the county dried up, exposing river beds covered in yellow sand.

Since 2005, Qinghai has implemented ecological protection and construction projects in the Sanjiangyuan region. The second-phase of the project aims to protect the ecosystem in an area of 396,000 square km, with focus on vegetation conservation and restoration, said Tian Junliang, deputy head of the national park's administration.

The Yellow River's headwaters region is a testament to the achievements of the project.

"With rainfall and upstream runoffs, the Yellow River's headwaters have kept flowing for nearly 16 years," said Ma Gui, who is part of the management committee of the Yellow River's headwaters region of the park.

Satellite images in 2000 showed there were only 261 lakes with an area of more than 0.06 square km in Madoi. However, according to the latest monitoring data released by Qinghai authorities in 2018, the number of lakes in the county has reached 5,849.

Two large lakes -- Gyaring and Ngoring -- in the Yellow River's headwaters region, saw their area increase by 74.6 and 117.4 square km, respectively.

In 2018, the average grass yield of Madoi was 2,807 kg per hectare, and grassland vegetation cover increased to 69.82 percent.

"The population of wild animals has increased significantly over the past few years, especially that of Tibetan wild donkeys and Tibetan antelopes. Satellite remote sensing images in 2018 captured a large herd of 520 donkeys. The snow leopard, a rare species, was also sighted," said Gan Xuebing, with the management committee.

Improved ecology and fewer sandstorms have made the county's urban area more livable.

"It used to be extremely windy and dusty here every spring. The place where I worked was only 100 meters from home, but I was often covered in dust that even went into my mouth during that short walk," said Guo Anjing, deputy head of the public security bureau in Madoi, who has been working in the county for 25 years. With more rainfall, added Guo, the grass has revitalized the barren land.

To maintain the ecology and ensure a good standard of living for herdsmen living on the grassland, authorities have come up with various methods.

"After the Sanjiangyuan national park project went into operation, more than 17,000 herdsmen have been employed as ecological protectors, with each earning more than 20,000 yuan (about 2,900 U.S. dollars) per year," said Kata, who works with the park's administration.

"With more protection measures, the water is now clearer, the grass has grown taller, and the birds that had disappeared during my childhood have flown back," said Soso, a 33-year-old herdsman living beside the Gyaring Lake, who has witnessed the remarkable changes to his homeland.