Delegates pose for a group photo at the inspection site in Ejin Horo Banner in Ordos.

A group of representatives to the ongoing 13th Session of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) recently made a field survey in Ejin Horo Banner in Ordos, Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

At the Alutu Operation Area, they saw a sea of salix mongolica, a fast-growing tree resistant to cold and drought. There is even a path paved with salix branches running through the sand dunes.

Jonathan, a delegate from Australia, raised a question about the length of salix mongolica roots.

The salix plant can send its roots four meters deep into the land and grow above ground as high as three meters, which makes it an important part of the prevention and control of desertification, a technician answered.

In addition, he added that the plant can continue to grow after its branches are cut off.

Jonathan said he has been fighting desertification for years as there is a lot of sandy land in his hometown.

He was therefore deeply touched to learn about the local people's determination to conquer all the difficulties in reforesting the barren land.