Damaged vegetation restored through soil preservation in NW China's Gansu

This aerial photo taken on July 31, 2018 shows a view of grasslands and Awancang Wetland in Maqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Chen Bin)

This year's World Soil Day fell on Dec. 5. Located on the northeast brink of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Maqu County boasts an extensive presence of grasslands and wetlands, which had suffered a lot from degeneration and desertification before the end of the 20th century. Thanks to a series of ecological preservation and soil improvement programs in recent years, a substantial part of the once damaged vegetation has been restored in the county.

A herd of Hequ horses gallop on a ranch in Maqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of northwest China's Gansu Province, July 15, 2021. (Xinhua/Chen Bin)

This aerial photo taken on June 23, 2019 shows a view of the Yellow River in Maqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Chen Bin)

This aerial photo taken on Sept. 21, 2022 shows a view of Awancang Wetland in Maqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Chen Bin)

A herd of Hequ horses gallop on a ranch in Maqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of northwest China's Gansu Province, July 15, 2021. (Xinhua/Chen Bin)

This aerial photo taken on Sept. 21, 2022 shows an autumn view of grasslands and Awancang Wetland in Maqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Chen Bin)

This aerial photo taken on July 13, 2021 shows the view of a restored grassland by the Yellow River in Maqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Chen Bin)

A herd of yak gallop and forage on a grassland in Maqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of northwest China's Gansu Province, July 15, 2021. (Xinhua/Chen Bin)