Imagine yourself walking against the hardest gush of wind that not only pushes you back, but blinds you, filling your lungs with dry earth and blotting the sky above with huge clouds of earth, turning day into night. Sounds scary, doesn’t it? Well this has been the picture of what Korea has been witnessing for decades now. All thanks to the Mongolian desert, from where intense dust storms blow into Korea, havocking life, bringing it to fight existence. Severe desertification is regarded as its main culprit, but, now the image may swap with reforestation efforts being carried out.
Any place on earth that supports life has to have a livable environment, and, therefore, it becomes even more important to ensure the lives of all people, including the desert herders in Seoul are protected against the damage due to poor air quality.
Although many have come forth, suggesting planting of more trees in Mongolia as a solution, but, it is the efforts of Kwon Byong Hyon, the former South Korean ambassador to China, who has initiated anti desertification drive. He has already recruited Chinese and Korean students to plant about 4 million trees across the desert.
Inspired by the efforts Kowan has been making, a few NGOs have also come into the picture. They are helping to control and manage the problems of over grazing, expanding farms, drought, etc. Hopefully the collective efforts of reforestation will help in the combat the yellow dusty clouds from where they originate.
Via: Treehugger
