JAKARTA - China's giant greening program survives not only by planting trees. The key is a long-term strategy, clear funding, and incentives that make residents and businesses want to participate in land conservation.
Quoted from a report by China Daily, Friday, June 5, the achievement was highlighted in a number of articles in the journal Nature ahead of World Environment Day. The program in question is the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program, a large forest belt project in northern China.
The program was launched in 1978. Its coverage includes 13 provincial-level regions in northwest, northern, and northeastern China.
By 2023, forest cover in the program area will increase almost threefold, from around 5 percent to around 14 percent. Soil erosion has also dropped by two-thirds.
This issue is important because dry land now covers about 40 percent of the earth's land. According to the report, the area could increase by another 10 percent due to global warming before the end of this century.
Many countries have tried to build "green walls" to hold back desertification. But similar projects in India, Africa, and the Gulf countries are said to still have trouble surviving. The classic problem. Funding is exhausted, maintenance is weakened, and project results are difficult to maintain.
China chose a different way. The government continues to provide funding support. At the same time, citizens and businesses are given economic reasons to take care of the land.
China Daily's report said that in the Kubuqi Desert, companies and herders could get low-interest loans and tax reductions for sand control activities. This policy has attracted more than 3 billion yuan, or about 443 million US dollars, in investment since 2010.
China also provides short-term income to vulnerable communities through various labor-intensive programs. In that way, desert control is not only an environmental issue, but also a source of livelihood.
Lu Qi, chief scientist at the Chinese Academy of Forestry, regularly visits the front lines of the Three-North Program. The program now covers about 40 percent of China's total landmass.
"Everyone rushed to take part, and their enthusiasm was unstoppable," Lu said, quoted by China Daily, after his latest visit to Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
Lu said this year's sand control work started on February 28, not long after the Spring Festival holiday, even though the weather was still cold.
According to Lu, the enthusiasm arose because residents wanted to build a better place to live. Government policies also make farmers and herders see the direct benefits of the project.
The opinion piece in Nature emphasizes that China's financial strategy cannot be directly copied by other countries. Each country has different legal rules and budgetary capabilities.
"A practical first step for any country is to elevate sand control from a short-term forestry project to a long-term government obligation," the article reads.
"Foreign aid should be used to attract joint financing from within the country, not as a one-time injection of funds," the article reads.
China also links ecological recovery with renewable energy. In some regions, solar panels are used in conjunction with greening programs.
For countries with limited budgets, the article said small-scale photovoltaic systems could be installed near important assets, such as roads or water pumping stations. Photovoltaics is a solar panel technology that converts sunlight into electricity.
Even though it requires a large initial cost, the sale of electricity can become a source of income for maintenance costs. This makes the project not only dependent on assistance.
Another lesson from China's experience is the way to look at ecological recovery. Nature believes the government needs to see it as an investment, not just a cost.
Lu said the change in perspective also occurred in the Three-North Program.
"At first, we only planted tall trees that grow quickly and provide good protection," said Lu.
However, the focus of the program then shifted. Greening is not only pursuing land protection, but also production and the livelihoods of residents.
One example is planting plants under solar panels. The plants selected include goji berries, sea buckthorn, and astragalus, plants used in traditional Chinese medicine.
In some areas, solar panels also provide shade for grazing areas. Livestock is not allowed to directly eat grass on the land. The grass is cut and then brought as feed, so that the protective function of the plant is maintained.
"I see this as a major transformation, which integrates ecology, production, and people's livelihoods," Lu said.
"This not only protects land and provides income for farmers and herders, but also brings benefits to the community as a whole," he said.
The English, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and French versions are automatically generated by the AI. So there may still be inaccuracies in translating, please always see Indonesian as our main language. (system supported by DigitalSiber.id)
