China has spent decades transforming some of its most degraded landscapes into greener areas through one of the largest reforestation campaigns ever attempted, planting billions of trees to fight desertification, restore ecosystems, and strengthen protection against environmental threats.
At the center of the effort is the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program, also known as the “Great Green Wall,” launched in 1978 to create a massive forest barrier across northern China. The project covers parts of northwest, north, and northeast China and aims to slow the expansion of deserts, reduce sandstorms, protect farmland, and restore damaged land.
Over the past decades, the program has transformed millions of hectares of land. China reported that more than 46 million hectares of forest have been planted in the Three-North region since the project began, while forest coverage in areas covered by the program increased significantly compared with previous decades.
The scale of China’s reforestation drive has continued to expand. In 2024 alone, the country planted 4.45 million hectares of trees and improved millions of hectares of grassland as part of its broader national greening efforts. China’s government also reported that its forest coverage has exceeded 25 percent, with planted forests ranking among the largest in the world.
China’s forestry authorities have described the campaign as part of a broader push to protect the country’s ecological security. The National Forestry and Grassland Administration said the Three-North program is designed to build a stronger ecological barrier against desertification while improving environmental conditions in vulnerable regions.
Beyond fighting desert expansion, the massive tree-planting campaign has also changed landscapes once known for harsh conditions. Research has examined how parts of the Great Green Wall have altered local ecosystems, with scientists studying the growth and performance of planted forests as China continues expanding its restoration efforts.
China’s government has also promoted nationwide participation in tree planting, turning reforestation into a public environmental campaign. Official figures showed that billions of trees have been planted through voluntary tree-planting programs involving millions of citizens over several decades.
