The Shenyang Municipal Bureau of Forestry on Wednesday released a set of numbers which showed that the city’s downtown area is about 48 kilometers away from deserts. The same numbers released in 2000 showed that the distance between the city and deserts was still 100 kilometers.

 

Xinmin city of Shenyang is a part that is closest to deserts. The sand that blows in the sky in Xinmin has already encroached on part of the beach along the Liaohe River.

 

In spring when the sandstorm is most severe, visibility in Xinmin city is only 8 meters. When the sandstorm is over, there is sand left in almost every corner of the city.

 

Experts said that the deserts itself does not move very quickly, but the key problem is the land desertification. Some lands in Shenyang have almost turned into deserts now and most others are at the initial stage of changing to deserts, a process which might be prevented with proper measures.

 

On Wednesday, the Shenyang Municipal Bureau of Forestry announced a forestation action, which includes building three sand breaks around the city to keep the sand out.

 

(Chinanews.cn March 24, 2006)