The threat of desertification is an issue of global concern. In China, expanding deserts are taking a heavy toll on the lives and livelihoods of citizens all across the world’s most populous country. China lost approximately 660,000 squares miles of land to deserts between 2005 and 2009 alone.

While there is not one single solution to combating desertification, Kulun Qi, a dry area in northeastern Inner Mongolia, has shown signs of hope that may eventually work as an example to others adversely affected by encroaching deserts around the world.

At the Desert’s Edge documents the trials and tentative successes of a collaborative effort between locals, governmental initiatives and NGOs fighting to combat China’s growing deserts by planting vast barriers of trees.

By Jonah Kessel and Kit Gillet, originally published on July 28, 2011

Jonah M. Kessel (www.jonahkessel.com) is an award winning visual journalist based in Beijing. Between 2007-2011, Kessel took home over 40 awards for photo, video, design and Web projects. He has previously worked as the Creative Director of China Daily, as a photography consultant in North Africa and worked as a staff and freelance photographer and designer with newspapers in the United States. His work appears in publications spanning the globe including The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, CNN, Global Post and The Associated Press.

Kit Gillet (www.kitgillet.com) was a 2010 Knight Foundation Fellow and until recently a features writer for the South China Morning Post. His work appears regularly in the international press, for publications including The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal, Foreign Policy and CNN, among others.

3 Responses to “At Desert’s Edge 沙漠边缘”

1. Environmental China, Issue 119, July 29th to August 5th, 2011 Says:
   August 5th, 2011 at 11:54 am

   [...] Video: At Desert’s Edge (China Green by the Asia Society, 7/29/2011) The threat of desertification is an issue of global concern. In China, expanding deserts are taking a heavy toll on the lives and livelihoods of citizens all across the world’s most populous country. China lost approximately 660,000 squares miles of land to deserts between 2005 and 2009 alone. While there is not one single solution to combating desertification, Kulun Qi, a dry area in northeastern Inner Mongolia, has shown signs of hope that may eventually work as an example to others adversely affected by encroaching deserts around the world. [...]

2. Maria Racho Says:
   August 2nd, 2011 at 5:27 pm

   Thank you for raising awareness of this issue and for sharing the stories of lives impacted. I commend the work the NGO’s are doing and hope their efforts are sustainable. I had read about the use of ‘coconets’ developed in the Philippines to slow down desertification and am wondering if that has or can help. I did a search and here is information: http://www.worldproutassembly.org/archives/2006/03/filipino_invent.html and http://cocogreen.net/challenge.htm.

3. Xiaohu Liu Says:
   July 29th, 2011 at 8:14 pm

   Found you guys from Chinahearsay. I’ll be tracking this issue from now on and hope one day I can contribute in some way.

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