Today, the once-shifting sand dunes have been transformed into lush artificial pine forests. Due to his dedication to afforestation and sand control, Hou was honored with the title of "National Outstanding Communist Party Member".

In 2021, he was invited as a representative to attend the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing.

"It's really not easy for us in Zhangwu to control sand. Only by passing on the torch from one generation to the next can we do this job well and solidly."

The hundreds of hectares of forests planted by Hou in Sihecheng town have now become a live teaching site for the Zhangwu Sand Control Spirit Cadre School. Students can participate in voluntary tree planting here and get involved firsthand in sand control and afforestation efforts.

Liaoning's sand control practice is an important part of China's Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program.

The program was launched in the late 1970s, covering more than 4.3 million square kilometers of land across 13 provinces. After decades of effort, the forest coverage in the Three-North region has increased from 5.05 percent in 1977 to 13.84 percent today. With the protection of the "Green Great Wall", sand and dust weather in northern regions has been decreasing.

Jiang Shengwei, deputy director of the Forestry and Grassland Administration of Liaoning Province, said that last year, Liaoning formulated the "Liaoning Province Horqin Sandy Land Annihilation Battle and Desertification Comprehensive Control Action Plan", proposing that by 2030, the vegetation coverage of existing sandy land in the province should reach over 80 percent.

yandongjie@chinadaily.com.cn