Xinjiang's man-made 'green wall' holds desertification in check

A project to contain and irrigate the Taklimakan Desert in Northwest China is bearing fruit

More than 30 years ago, a war against desertification was waged silently in a little-known spot called Kekeya in Aksu prefecture, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

Despite the low-key approach, the program's influence was widespread because the locals won the battle and passed on the task of fighting Mother Nature's quirks to those who will continue to strive for a better environment.