Tree-planting stops desert branching out

A team member carries a seed drill on his shoulder as he walks to the planting area. LIU LEI/XINHUA Editor's note: As protection of the planet's flora, fauna and resources becomes increasingly important, China Daily is publishing a series of stories to illustrate the country's commitment to safeguarding the natural world. Hundreds of people in Northwest China introduce saplings every year to help retard the expansion of the Kubuqi Every year from March to May, hundreds of workers from Gansu province and the Ningxia Hui autonomous region in Northwest China arrive at the Kubuqi Desert in Ordos, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, for the annual tree-planting season. The workers toil in the desert planting saplings as part of efforts to control the spread of the sand. Using large handheld seed drills that weigh more than 10 kilograms, the workers can dig more than 1,000 holes a day.