This aerial photo taken on July 6, 2023 shows the scenery of the Awancang Wetland in Maqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Chen Bin)
GANNAN, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- Located on the northeast rim of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Maqu County boasts an extensive presence of grasslands and wetlands. Maqu, meaning "the Yellow River" in the Tibetan language, is the only county named after "Yellow River" in China. Covering an area of 5.62 million mu (about 374,667 hectares), the Maqu wetlands serve as an important water reserve and eco-zone in the upper reaches of the Yellow River. However, the Maqu wetlands once suffered from shrinking lake areas, grass degradation, and decreasing water conservation capacity. In order to protect the Maqu wetlands from degrading further, Maqu County has continued to implement integrated conservation and restoration projects of its environment in recent years. The wetlands are expanding with increasing water conservation capacity, and ecological functions have been further improved as the environment restores.
This combo photo shows staff members making sand barriers on a degraded grassland (above, photo taken by Xinhua photographer Han Chuanhao in 2002) and villagers sowing grass seeds on a grassland management point (below, photo taken by Xinhua photographer Zhang Keren on July 6, 2023) along the Yellow River in Maqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua)
This combo photo shows a villager walking on a degraded grassland (above, photo taken by Xinhua photographer Nie Jianjiang on June 9, 2011) and the grassland after restoration (below, photo taken by Xinhua photographer Chen Bin on July 6, 2023) in Ouqiang Village of Maqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua)
This combo photo shows technicians checking the grass degradation of a grassland (above, photo taken by Xinhua photographer Nie Jianjiang on June 9, 2011) and the grassland after restoration (below, photo taken by Xinhua photographer Chen Bin on July 6, 2023) in Ouqiang Village of Maqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua)
This combo photo shows a degraded grassland (above, photo taken by Xinhua photographer Nie Jianjiang on June 10, 2011) and the grassland after restoration (below, photo taken by Xinhua photographer Chen Bin on July 6, 2023) near the Yellow River bridge in Maqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua)
This combo photo shows a flock of goats grazing on a degraded grassland (above, photo taken by Xinhua photographer Song Changqing on July 19, 2004) and yaks grazing on a grassland (below, photo taken by Xinhua photographer Chen Bin on July 5, 2023) in Maqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua)
Villagers sow grass seeds on a grassland management point along the Yellow River in Oula Town of Maqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province, July 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Fang Xin)
Villagers sow grass seeds on a grassland management point along the Yellow River in Oula Town of Maqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province, July 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Chen Bin)
This aerial photo taken on July 6, 2023 shows the scenery of the Awancang Wetland in Maqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Keren)
This aerial photo taken on July 6, 2023 shows the scenery along the Yellow River in Maqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Chen Bin)
This aerial photo taken on July 6, 2023 shows the scenery along the Yellow River in Maqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Fang Xin)
This aerial photo taken on July 6, 2023 shows the scenery along the Yellow River in Maqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Chen Bin)
Villager Zhoima Gyaibo checks the growth of plants at a grassland management point along the Yellow River in Maqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province, July 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Chen Bin)
This aerial photo taken on July 6, 2023 shows a grassland after restoration along the Yellow River in Maqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Chen Bin)
This aerial photo taken on July 6, 2023 shows the scenery along the Yellow River in Maqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Chen Bin)
This aerial photo taken on July 6, 2023 shows the scenery along the Yellow River in Maqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Keren)
This aerial photo taken on July 6, 2023 shows tourists enjoying the scenery of the Awancang Wetland in Maqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Chen Bin)
This aerial photo taken on July 5, 2023 shows the wetland at the Hequ horse ranch in Maqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Fang Xin)
This aerial photo taken on July 6, 2023 shows the scenery of the Awancang Wetland in Maqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Chen Bin)
This aerial photo taken on July 6, 2023 shows the scenery along the Yellow River in Maqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Chen Bin)
This aerial photo taken on July 6, 2023 shows the scenery along the Yellow River in Maqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Fang Xin)
This aerial photo taken on July 5, 2023 shows the wetland at the Hequ horse ranch in Maqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Keren)
Villager Zhoima Gyaibo checks the growth of plants at a grassland management point along the Yellow River in Maqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province, July 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Chen Bin)
This aerial photo taken on July 6, 2023 shows a grassland after restoration along the Yellow River in Maqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Keren)
Wang Jiayang (L) and his colleague, who are from a protection station of the management center of Shouqu National Nature Reserve for Yellow River, patrol the nature reserve in Maqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province, July 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Fang Xin)
This aerial photo taken on July 6, 2023 shows the scenery along the Yellow River in Maqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Fang Xin)■
