Desertification area transformed into green corridor, improves airport operations

Penba, a Tibetan man from the Dranang county of the Xizang autonomous region, has been planting trees in the desertification area in his hometown over the last three decades.

Penba never imagined that the forest he had carefully cultivated would affect the punctuality of flights at the Gonggar International Airport. The forest area is about 30 hectares and is 45 kilometers from the airport.

The area of this green corridor by the Yarlung Zangbo River is 30,000 hectares. More than a decade ago, flights at the airport could not take off and land for more than 60 days per year. Today, the increasing takeoff and landing rate is due to the large-scale sand prevention and afforestation projects on both sides of the Yarlung Zangbo River. This green corridor is still extending, guarding the critical area of integrated economic development in the southern part of Lhasa.

This area is a development zone determined by the national main functional area planning and also the place where the towering tree in Penba's heart blooms and leaves.

"Trees are like children; they need good care, and I have taken good care of them since I planted the seedlings," said Penba.