Couple transforms barren mountain pass into forest

At the mountain pass Zhengyiguan on the Helan Mountain in the Ningxia Hui autonomous region, the wind once carried only dust and coal ash. Today, it rustles through the leaves of towering scholar trees, thanks to more than three decades of dedication by Ding Rugang and his wife, Yang Huacai.

The couple moved from Donghai county in Jiangsu province to Ningxia's Shizuishan city in 1959 to join in coal mine construction. After retiring in 1988, they sought a quieter life and began planting trees in the barren mountain pass.

"When we first arrived in 1989, you couldn't find a single green leaf," Ding, in his nineties, recalled. He bought some abandoned houses for a small sum and began planting trees.

"The proudest thing in my life is that every tree you see here was planted by our own hands," he said.

Ding's passion had deep roots. "I've always loved planting trees," he said. "When I was a child, I'd bring saplings back from the fields. It's good for the soul and the land."

Their initial efforts were fraught with challenges. Saplings were scarce in the early years. The couple would ride buses and walk kilometers uphill, carrying young trees on their backs or bicycles. On visits to Jiangsu, Ding brought back saplings by train.

The work was physically punishing. The sandy, rocky soil meant digging with pickaxes, sometimes sending sparks flying. Ding once fell into a pit and was knocked unconscious.

Water was another hurdle. In the early years, every drop had to be hauled from the valley in buckets. During droughts for years, batches of young trees withered.

"The start is the hardest," Ding said. "But planting trees makes me happy. The air feels more refreshing,"

Their persistence paid off. The first batch of Chinese scholar trees has now grown into giants, some 20 meters tall and 60 centimeters thick. Today, more than 40,000 trees, including red willow, poplar, ash, apple, pear and apricot trees, cover an estimated 26.67 hectares.

Over time, the couple's children joined the work. Their youngest son, Ding Feng, worked alongside the couple until he passed away in 2021. The same year, their daughter, Ding Ping, moved to the mountain after retiring. Ding Yi, another son, left his job in Yinchuan in 2017 to care for his aging parents and the forest.

"I started helping my parents on weekends as a teenager," Ding Yi said. "Now it's my turn to carry on their work."

Twenty years ago, Ding Yi planted red willows on the southern side of the valley. Today, they have grown into a green belt stretching over 300 meters. Beneath them run irrigation pipes connected to distant springs. Every day, he spends three hours watering the trees, which helps against winds and sand.

The family's efforts have transformed Zhengyiguan into an oasis. The once-barren fields have become a 1,700-m-long and 300-m-wide green belt, with a stream flowing eastward from the area.

Despite having a home in the city, the family spends most of the year in the mountain, tending the forest.

With plans to maintain and expand the forest, the family remains committed to this mission. "After my father can no longer work," Ding Yi said, "I'll keep going. Planting is almost done. Now, it's about protecting what we've grown."