China's Badain Jaran Desert, witness to human-nature harmony

Tana, a 40-year-old herder, lives by a lake in the Badain Jaran Desert, north China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region. "My family has been living here for generations and living in harmony with nature. I have a deep affection for the desert," said Tana.

After working out of town for some time, she chose to return to the desert. Now, she and her husband raise over 20 camels and run a B&B hotel, welcoming guests from all over the country to experience the charm of the desert.

The Badain Jaran Desert is located on the Alashan Plateau and is the third largest desert and second largest drifting desert in China. It features the world's tallest, stabilized sand dune, the highest concentration of inter-dunal lakes, the largest expanse of so-called singing sands and diverse wind-eroded landforms.

Photo shows a lake in the Badain Jaran Desert, north China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region. [People's Daily Online/Wang Zheng]

Despite the extremely low annual precipitation, 144 lakes have been discovered in the area, with the most famous being Daghtu Lake.

"Due to its rich mineral elements and salt-loving organisms, the water of the Daghtu Lake displays different colors from spring to winter, such as light red, pink, and deep red," said Dong Zhibao, vice president of Shaanxi Normal University, who has long been studying the Badain Jaran Desert.

With majestic towering sand dunes and colorful lakes among them, the Badain Jaran Desert showcases extraordinary natural beauty. In July this year, the Badain Jaran Desert - Towers of Sand and Lakes, was included on the World Heritage List by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), demonstrating to the world the unique value of lakes and sand dunes as natural heritage while also laying the foundation for further research on the formation of sand dunes and the protection of desert lakes.

After a roar of the engine subsided, Liu Weibin, an official with the Alxa Desert UNESCO Global Geopark, jumped out of an off-road vehicle and took out a handheld monitoring terminal, starting to check the patrol points on the satellite map.

The natural heritage sites are monitored by Liu and his colleagues once a month. Besides, they would also verify the changes in satellite map patches caused by human activities or natural reasons. All identified issues will be immediately reported and resolved, said Liu.

Photo shows a lake deep in the Badain Jaran Desert, north China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region. [People's Daily Online/Wang Zheng]

"Desert is a part of the Earth's ecosystem and is crucial for climate regulation and biodiversity protection," said Dong. He highlighted that the most effective way to protect natural deserts is to refrain from intervention or destruction, while striving to maintain the originality of their ecosystems.

For hundreds of years, respecting nature and protecting the environment has been the shared belief among local nomadic herders.

"Since I can remember, my family has always advised me against polluting the lakes and harming wildlife," said Tana.

These herders have turned into a vital force in the protection of natural heritage. Some of them have been appointed as ecological rangers, responsible for daily patrols of heritage sites and instructing other herders on how to manage waste effectively, said Zhang Zhaoxin, deputy head of the forestry, grassland and desertification control bureau of Alxa Right Banner.

To strengthen the comprehensive and systematic protection of natural heritage, local authorities have started formulating management plans and regulations. They have also conducted a survey to fully understand the types, quantities, and quality of natural resources in the natural heritage sites, so as to provide data and scientific basis for the protection and management.

"Would we need to relocate if the site is listed as a World Heritage Site?" Tana once had this question.

Naadam, also known as the "Three Manly Games" which features horse racing, archery and wrestling, is held in Badain Jaran township, Alxa Right Banner, Alxa league, north China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, December 28, 2023. [People's Daily Online/Jiang Aiping]

She was soon reassured after receiving comforting words from Yu Qingzhi, an expert with the International Union for Conservation of Nature: "The local herders contribute to these natural heritage sites and are safeguarded as well. They can still maintain their traditional way of life, but they are restricted from excessive production."

In the Badain Jaran Desert, there are dozens of herder households like Tana, primarily depending on raising camels and sheep for a living. While applying for World Heritage status, the local government held herder meetings to fully consider their opinions.

Each year from September to October, the Badain Jaran Desert experiences the highest influx of tourists. Since being recognized as a World Heritage Site, there has been a surge in the number of visitors.

"Even though the journey is quite long, seeing such magnificent sand dunes and lakes makes it all worthwhile," said Zhang Baojuan, a tourist from north China's Tianjin municipality.

Apart from herding, some herders even work as guides and operate B&B hotels to raise their income. "We are happy to share the beauty of our hometown with the world, and we also wish for tourists to join us in protecting the local ecological environment," Tana said.