BEIJING (AFP) — Authorities in China aim to halt the spread of the desert in Tibet by next year, hoping to stem the effects of years of mining, tree-felling, and overgrazing, state media reported.
Desertification is spreading by 98,000 acres (39,600 hectares) annually in Tibet, an official from the regional forestry bureau was quoted as saying by the Xinhua news agency.
Desertification is spreading by 98,000 acres (39,600 hectares) annually in Tibet, an official from the regional forestry bureau was quoted as saying by the Xinhua news agency. Sangye Drawa said Tibetan authorities were trying to curb the spread with afforestation program by closing some grasslands to herders. "By 2010, we hope to achieve zero growth in deserts and by 2020, half of the desertified land that can still be reversed will be fixed," he was quoted as saying.
Sangye Drawa said that desertified land, which currently covers 18 percent of the Himalayan plateau, was caused by dry weather and a lack of forests, according to the report. He also attributed it to overgrazing, tree-felling, and mining.
Tibet is not the only region in China to suffer from the problem -- the capital Beijing is plagued with regular sandstorms that scientists say are caused by desertification in the northern part of the country. Source
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