Large-scale training in Hulunbuir's farming and pastoral areas has helped spread technologies across over 200,000 hectares of grassland, significantly boosting herders' awareness and motivation in grassland restoration, she added.
Xu Dawei, 40, a member of the station and an associate researcher at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, said the key to protecting the grasslands lies in explaining the policies and the science to herders, so they can willingly adopt more sustainable grazing practices.
"Monitoring helps identify problems and provides a basis for formulating policies aimed at promoting changes in production and lifestyle patterns as well as ecological protection. That's the macro level. But at the individual herders' level, their responses to these policies, both in terms of willingness and extent, vary from person to person," Xu said.
He added that policies such as the grassland ecological protection subsidy guide herders to adjust their grazing practices and intensity in order to achieve a balance between livestock and grassland.
In recent years, China's grasslands have begun to show signs of gradual recovery.
Aside from local herders, effective science communication for school and university students is also crucial.
Shao Changliang, 52, the station's deputy director, said since becoming a national station two decades ago, they've hosted summer camps for students from primary schools to universities. And they've also had visitors from Hong Kong and Macao who were interested in the grassland.
"Every year, dozens of universities send students here, and we've built long-term partnerships with many of them," he said.
"After these programs, some students fell in love with nature and later chose to work in related fields. Educating young people about grasslands isn't just about today. It's about ensuring the grasslands are protected for decades to come."
lihongyang@chinadaily.com.cn
