20 000 participate in greening the Belt and Road region on Earth Day

22 April 2017 – In commemorating International Mother Earth Day, the China Elion Foundation together with China Internet Information Center, China’s Poverty Reduction Online, Elion Resources Group, Aegon-Industrial Fund Management and Sand and Grass Industry Association of Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region have jointly organized tree planting activities in 8 provinces in China, namely Hohhot, Alashan, Shanghaimiao and Chifeng in Inner Mongolia, Southern Xinjiang, Lhasa in Tibet Autonomous Region, Anshun in Guizhou, Zhangjiakou in Hebei, Wuwei in Gansu, Jingshan in Hubei, and Yanqing District of Beijing. 

The Earth Day event attracted 20,000 people from all walks of life. 400,000 trees of various kinds e.g. dragon spruce, Euphratica, Pinus sylvestri, Saliz matsudana, Salix mongolica and licorice were planted in these areas. 
 
The event was joined by Aegon-Industrial Fund Management Co.Ltd, a new supporter to “The Green Silk Road” project. The company donated 10 million RMB as part of announcing “The Green Silk Road” Partnership—Euphratica Forest Aegon-Industrial Fund” project. George Steinmetz, a world-renowned photographer, also participated in the event to capture the beauty of re-greening desert and hard work of participants. 

Desertification is a global challenge. China is one of the countries that severely affected by widespread of desertification. The Chinese government has been combating desertification for the past 50 years. The ecological restoration and improvement of livelihood conditions through afforestation in Kubuqi Desert is vital for the sustainable development in the regions of “Belt and Road” and to reduce the spread of further desertification. For the past 29 years, Elion has managed to restore desert ecology through green economy. Its work has tremendously contributed to sustainable development and poverty alleviation in the region. 

In 2016, Elion Resources Group launched a series of new projects to alleviate poverty and improve the soil conditions through planting licorice in several areas which are severely affected by desertification deserts i.e. Kubuqi, Uulan Buh, Mu Us in Inner Mongolia, Taklimakan in Xinjiang and Tengger in Gansu. Nearly 100,000 hectares of licorice were planted and 20,000 people were benefited from the projects.

Tree planting site at Kubuqi Desert, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region

Tree planting site at Yanqing District, Beijing

Opening of Aegon-Industrial Fund Populus Euphratica Forest Project

Tree planting site at Southern Xinjiang, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region

Tree planting site at Shanghaimiao, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region

Tree planting site in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region