Seedlings for spring afforestation are loaded onto a truck in Uxin Banner. [Photo/Nuan News]

With rising temperatures, Ordos city's spring afforestation campaign is underway. Uxin Banner, a key ecological area in Ordos, has made significant strides in seedling cultivation in recent years, cultivating 120 million seedlings in total.

Since 2023, the local government has encouraged farmers and herders to cultivate tree species suited to the region's climate and soil, such as Caragana microphylla and Mongolian Scots pine.

Preparations for spring afforestation are underway in Uxin Banner. [Photo/Nuan News]

Additionally, 1.2 million mu (80,000 hectares) of sand willow have undergone winter pruning, yielding 600,000 metric tons of materials for sand barrier construction. These seedlings will meet Uxin Banner's annual requirements for the "Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program".

According to an Ordos forestry and grassland bureau official, the city's total seedling reserve has reached 997 million, ensuring sufficient supply for the year's desertification control efforts. Meanwhile, 1.7 million tons of pruned sand willow have been stored, enough to stabilize 1.6 million mu of sandy areas.