Located in Ordos, North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Kubuqi Desert (库布齐沙漠) is the closest desert to China's capital Beijing. It was once known as the "sea of death". However, in the past 30 years, the government, social organizations and local farmers (work) together to control desertification (沙漠化) in Kubuqi Desert.
Historically, Kubuqi was a rich city filled with water and grass. But due climate change and over-exploitation from humans, the farmlands gradually turned to desert. Controlling desertification was the only way out for people still living in Kubuqi. With the first highway going through the desert (build) here, people started planting trees in whole desert. It was common for planted trees to die. But the next year, people just continued to plant more trees. (ultimate), their hard work inspired the term "Kubuqi spirit", encouraging local people (devote) themselves to the desert greatly. Over three decades, tree planting technology saw further (improve) in Kubuqi. Now workers can plant a tree in just ten (second), and the survival rate of trees is over 80 percent.
The 102,000 residents in the desert have enjoyed the benefits of managing with desertification. Meng Keda, family has lived deep in Kubuqi Desert for generations, began a tourism business in 2006 earned about 300,000 yuan last year.
