The grass was always greener
- Source: Global Times
- [02:57 July 19 2010]
- Comments
A prairie in the West Ujimqin banner, an administrative division of Xilin Gol League in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, is now a desert.
By Fu Wen and Peng Pu
Villagers and herdsmen in North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region have been trying to cope with a significant crisis ever since their prairies began turning into sand.
Authorities introduced anti-desertification control measures starting 10 years ago, but the prairies are unlikely to return to the condition they were in the 1970s.
People's Daily reported Sunday that the prairies that have benefited from anti-desertification programs could only produce three-fourths of the grass compared with three decades ago, and those that did not get special treatment produce half of the grass.
The livestock density for 1.98 million livestock in Sunite, Xilin Gol, decreased from 170 acres of grassland in 1949 to 14.6 acres of grassland in 1999, the report said.
The livestock density decreased even though the number of livestock there fell by 18.4 percent from 2003 to 1.19 million in 2009.
These years the grassland is severely deteriorating in height and density compared to that of 30 years ago,Siriguleng, a villager in Zhengxiangbai Qi, Xilin Gol, told the People's Daily earlier.
Yang Chongyi, deputy director of the regional development and reform commission, told the Global Times Sunday that droughts, rats and pests have plagued the region and significantly harmed the ecology of the prairies.
Most believe overgrazing is one of the causes of desertification . Photos: CFP
Human factor
In addition, human factors, such as overgrazing and over exploitation also contribute to the problem.
People's overgrazing and over exploitation are not restricted as much as it should be, he said.
In Zhalute village, Tongliao, more than 70 percent of the grassland, or 50,000 acres, have been cultivated since 1996, its village head told the People's Daily.
If you grow green beans, within three years over 70 percent of the soil will be blown away, he said.
Many herders have turned their grassland into arable lands, or continue grazing animals at night even though it is prohibited.
Statistics show that raising livestock to make a living is increasingly difficult. For example, the cost to raise a sheep increased twice over the past decade.
Each herdsman has an average of 480 yuan ($70) in debt, and each of their household is under pressure to pay a 20,000-yuan ($2,951) mortgage.
