Sixty-eight-year-old Li Changjin still remembers the happy days he spent around Tianmo Dune, 1 kilometre west of his home in Longbaoshan village in Huailai County, in north China's Hebei Province.

The dune was then about 3 metres high, with a clear stream flowing by. Li and his childhood friends used to fish in the water and sunbathe on the dune.

"At that time, it was almost like a paradise for the kids in the village," recalled Li.

Over the past 30 years, the desertified area in the county has increased dramatically, caused by a dry climate and deteriorating vegetation. The paradise-like dune had turned into a big threat to Li and his fellow villagers.

The stream disappeared and the dune grew higher and larger every year. Now the dune is only 40 meters from the village, with a height of 18 meters and an area of 20 hectares.

The villagers plan to build a wall to block the approaching dune.

Located 90 kilometers northwest of Beijing, Huailai County was once known as a "city of sand" and has suffered from soil erosion for decades. Every winter and spring, strong winds from the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region sweep across the county, carrying large amounts of sand and dirt, dumping it on the capital city. The county is regarded as a major source of sandstorms in Beijing.

Over the past few years, the local government has spared no efforts to improve the environment and curb desertification by planting grass and trees.

People in Beijing have also worked alongside locals in many afforestation projects.

The county had seen tangible changes thanks to the years of effort. But experts argue that there is a long way to go before the problem is completely solved.

(China Daily April 11, 2003)