Today we are going to talk about the amazing changes in the Loess Plateau. This once windswept land with severe soil erosion is now full of greenery, with vegetation coverage soaring to 65%, approaching the limit of soil loading. This news, which sounds like a myth at first, actually stems from the authoritative research of the team of researchers Chen Yiping of the Xi'an Branch of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, who proposed that the ecological restoration of the Loess Plateau has reached its peak, and further improvement may lead to new ecological problems. The Loess Plateau, which is located in the vast area of Riyue Shandong, Taihang Shanxi, Qinling Mountains, and Yinshan North, was once a place where natural disasters occurred frequently, with more than 1,500 floods and droughts in 2,500 years. The Yellow River, China's mother river, is famous for the erosion of the Loess Plateau, carrying 1.6 billion tonnes of sediment a year, but now it has dropped to less than 300 million tonnes and in some years only about 100 million tonnes. This huge change is the fruit of 70 years of persistent ecological governance.
The Three-North Shelterbelt and the project of returning farmland to forest and grassland allow green seeds to germinate in the loess plateau. More than 40 years ago, the tenacity of an old man in northern Shaanxi, from the despair of surviving only one of the 2,000 saplings, to the feat of finally conquering the entire sandy land, witnessed the indomitable spirit of the struggle between man and nature. The outstanding contributions of scientists Zhu Kezhen and Zhu Xianmo have not only laid a scientific foundation for soil and water conservation on the Loess Plateau, but also put forward a long-term plan for comprehensive management.
The construction of silt dams has effectively controlled soil erosion and ensured ecological security. Solving farmers' livelihoods is the key to ecological restoration. Scientists have made the Loess Plateau one of the world's leading apple producing regions, and farmers have significantly increased their incomes by selecting crops, improving varieties, and imparting planting techniques. The green miracle of the Loess Plateau benefits from the long-term investment of the state, the selfless dedication of scientists, and the hard work of the people. The grain self-sufficiency rate has jumped from less than 60% to 120%, the Yellow River has gradually become clear, and the Loess Plateau has entered the track of sustainable development of "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets".
Let us witness the magnificent turn of the Loess Plateau from yellow to green, and feel the power of ecological civilization construction. This is not only a tribute to history, but also an expectation for a green dream in the future.
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