Desertification control not only has ecological benefit for public welfare, but also create potential business opportunities, said Yue Jinwen of the Green Spring Forest Afforestation Company of Pingluo County in Ningxia.

In Pingluo County of Ningxia, desertification control is not something new, but most of the actions failed for the lack of adequate water. [Photo: CCTV]

"Three years ago, it is a vast expanse of the sand dunes here in Pingluo. When we first come here, windy weather make us can not open our eyes," Yue said.

In Pingluo County, desertification control is not something new, but most of the actions failed for the lack of adequate water. The money used for desertification control is almost wasted.

But things started to change at the beginning of 2009. Yue Jinwen contracted 6,200 mu (413 hectares) desert and made an investment of 30 million yuan ($4.7 million) for desertification afforestation.

Now the Green Spring Forest Afforestation Company has planted trees of 4000 mu (267 hectares), with a livability rate more than 85 percent.

Yue said, "the lumber price is 700 to 800 yuan ($109-124) per cubic meter. Our plan is to take the measure of intermediate cutting after six years. In this way one mu can get more than 10,000 yuan ($1,550)."