ULAN BATOR/HOHHOT, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Deep in Mongolia's Gobi area, technicians from China's M-Grass Ecology and Environment (Group) Co., Ltd. crouched on the sandy ground, inspecting newly planted Haloxylon ammodendron seedlings in Khanbogd County. With meticulous care, they parted the gravel to confirm each root was firmly nestled in soil.
Characterized by vegetation cover below 10 percent, annual precipitation of approximately 104 mm, winter temperatures as low as minus 31.5 degrees Celsius and summer maxima exceeding 42.2 degrees Celsius, this harsh setting creates major challenges for afforestation. Yet, backed by the Chinese enterprise, a durable green initiative is progressing.
The Haloxylon ammodendron forest project sits near Mongolian wild ass habitats, where M‑Grass technicians are now preparing for large‑scale planting this autumn.
"Whether Haloxylon ammodendron seedlings take root and survive depends on hydrological surveys, native vegetation assessments, seedling selection, soil testing, fertilizer comparisons, planting depth, irrigation during early growth, and meticulous subsequent maintenance," said Wang Junfang, the project's technical team leader.
"Gobi afforestation must fully respect desert ecology. The planting process also seeks to protect the native vegetation already growing on this land," he added.
To minimize disruption to the Gobi surface and native plants, the technical team downsized the planting pit from 40 to 20 centimeters in diameter, enabling more precise operations that protect the desert ecosystem during afforestation.
The 400-hectare Haloxylon ammodendron forest project, a key component of Mongolia's One Billion Trees initiative, is led by a Mongolian enterprise with ecological restoration technology consultation provided by M-Grass.
The project plans to plant 330,000 Haloxylon ammodendron seedlings. The location was chosen in a Gobi area historically home to wild Haloxylon, leveraging local species' drought resilience to improve survival rates.
The project's field investigations began in May 2025, with 80 hectares planted last fall. This autumn, the project aims to plant 200 additional hectares using a proven "mechanical digging plus manual planting" method, a process expected to be completed within two months. The remaining acreage will be carried over to the following year.
In parallel with main afforestation tasks, the project has established a 10-hectare research demonstration zone. Over 20 native Mongolian species are being tested for plant biodiversity comparison, alongside adaptation trials of proven Chinese ecological products. The goal is to tailor China's experience in desertification control to Mongolia's local conditions.
Regarding irrigation design, Wang said the technical team adopts a water-saving approach based on the Gobi's water resource endowment. Natural precipitation supplemented by staged watering is planned to support seedlings during critical growth periods. Once fully established, seedlings will rely primarily on natural rainfall for maintenance.
Beyond ecological restoration, the Gobi afforestation project is designed to benefit local communities. Haloxylon ammodendron is a key desert host plant that often supports Cistanche deserticola, a medicinal parasitic plant. The team plans to trial Cistanche grafting on mature Haloxylon ammodendron two years after planting, while also monitoring carbon sequestration, to turn these sand‑fixing forests into economic assets for local communities.
China-Mongolia ecological cooperation is expanding on multiple fronts.
The China-Mongolia Desertification Prevention and Control Cooperation Center was inaugurated in Ulan Bator in September 2023. The center actively supports Mongolia's One Billion Trees initiative, including building ecological protection and restoration demonstration zones, promoting China's afforestation and desertification control technologies and models, and carrying out sandstorm monitoring and early warning cooperation.
M-Grass is also collaborating with another Mongolian company to advance mine site restoration and integrated grassland-livestock projects. They plan to pilot an 8-hectare mine slope restoration, covering drainage construction, soil improvement, vegetation planting, and long-term monitoring and evaluation.
Fan Lijun, director of the Belt and Road Initiative Research Institute at Inner Mongolia Academy of Social Sciences, said bringing China's mature desertification control experience to Mongolia and localizing it through resource‑based practice, while pursuing both ecological protection and industrial cultivation, is a new highlight in advancing the Belt and Road cooperation and the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor. ■
