High and dry no longer apply

To further improve the urban landscape and ecology of Gar, since October 2016 the county government has been sending horticultural experts to northwestern provinces including Shaanxi, Qinghai and Gansu to search for tree species that can survive in Ngari's tough climate.

"The selection of the right trees is key if they are to take root in Ngari," said horticultural expert Han Junwen.

After forestry experts weighed all their options, more than 20 species of trees and plants were selected to be grown on a trial basis in Gar.

Among them were more than 4,000 willows introduced from Shaanxi - more than 3,000 kilometers away. It took 10 days to transport them to Ngari, Han said. During the long journey, forestry workers kept hydrating the roots to keep them viable.

After the trees arrived in Gar, their roots were soaked in water for more than 10 days to rejuvenate them before being planted in the soil.

The planting began in March last year, and many residents did not believe these nonnative trees could survive in Gar, according to Qi.

To the surprise of naysayers, however, two months later more than 90 percent of the over 60,000 trees planted successfully took root.

To help the trees make it through the first winter, horticultural workers used methods such as insulating them with cotton and plastic wrappings, injecting nutrients and supporting them with wooden poles.

The reforestation efforts have paid off. "Since the greening campaign started, airborne dust has been reduced dramatically, and the number of rainy days has increased," Gao said.

Norbu, a resident of Jiamu village in Gar, said: "In the past, when we walked home after a day's work, there was nothing to see in the village. But now we can see green trees and beautiful flowers in the village and this elevates our mood while strolling around after dinner."

machi@chinadaily.com.cn