Blankets made from coconut shells used for grassland restoration in SW China's Sichuan

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This combo photo shows an area before restoration (above, taken on March 8, 2023) and after restoration (below, photo taken by Xinhua photographer Wang Xi on Aug. 23, 2023) in Gaerma Village of Tangke Town in Ruoergai County, southwest China's Sichuan Province. Grass sprouts from the surface covered by blankets made from coconut shells at the area of the abandoned mines in Ruoergai County of Aba Prefecture, where bedrocks were exposed before. Blankets made from coconut shells have compact structure and strong corrosion resistance. They can effectively inhibit soil erosion, and have excellent slope protection effect. In addition, they can be biodegradable, decomposing into organic fertilizer after "completing their mission". Due to stone mining in the past, bare bedrocks were left on the grassland, making it very difficult to restore vegetation and seriously affecting the ecological environment in the upper reaches of the Yellow River. The utilization of blankets made from coconut shells provides a new method for grassland restoration. (Xinhua)