2024年8-9月，来自12家企业、1所学校等共119位志愿者来到宁夏灵武市，走进白芨滩国家级自然保护区，了解这里抵御荒漠化的故事。
From August 23 to September 3, a total of 119 volunteers from 12 companies and 1 school came to Lingwu City, Ningxia, to visit the Baijitan National Nature Reserve and learn about its story of fighting desertification.
志愿者在百万植树计划2024年林地 王凯摄
The volunteers on the MTP 2024 Ningxia Forest land, Photo by Kai Wang
今年宁夏的天气格外多变，忽而晴天、忽而下雨，志愿者也更深刻地体验到了治沙工作的不易。烈日当头，扎制草方格的工作就已经开始。两人为一组扎制，一人铺好秸秆，一人用铁锹将秸秆铲进沙地之中。秸秆厚度铺设要合适，行列要笔直、间隔要为1米，下锹也要用对力气。在降水前后，点播草籽又要紧张地进行。草方格能够降低地表风速、截留水分并拦住草籽，从而促进其中灌木和草本植物的生长。
During the trip, the weather in Ningxia was particularly unpredictable, so volunteers had gained a deeper understanding of the difficulty in desertification control. The work of making straw grids started with the scorching sun overhead. One person paved the straw, and the other used the shovel to firmly place the straw on the sand. The thickness of straw and the spacing of the grids shall be carefully adjusted, with straight rows and intervals of 1 meter. Proper use of the shovel should also be paid attention to. As soon as it rains, sowing seeds must be carried out right away. Straw grids can reduce wind speed on the ground surface, conserve water, and keep grass seeds inside, thereby promoting the growth of shrubs and herbaceous plants.
志愿者在扎制草方格 郭珈源摄
Volunteers were making straw grids, Photo by Jiayuan Guo
志愿者在草方格中点播草籽 郭珈源摄
Volunteers were sowing shrub seeds, Photo by Jiayuan Guo
扎制完草方格之后，志愿者们前往百万植树计划2022年林地，亲眼见证治沙的效果。经过两年之后，草方格沙障还未完全消失，林地中已经郁郁葱葱地长满各种各样的草本植物，同时两年前种下的柠条已经长高。志愿者还在林地里参与自然探索活动。通过一张张植物卡片，志愿者对林地的生物多样性及生态恢复效果有了更为直接和深入的了解。
The volunteers went to the MTP 2022 Forest, where they felt the effectiveness of all the desertification control methods firsthand. The forest was lush with various herbaceous plants after two years. The straw grids were still visible on the ground. The Caragana Korshinskii Kom planted two years ago had grown tall. Volunteers also participated in the nature detective games. By studying from the cards of plants, they learnt more about the increase of biodiversity and ecological restoration brought by the forests.
上海根与芽工作人员向志愿者介绍林地情况 郭珈源摄
The staff of SRS was introducing the forest basics to volunteers, Photo by Jiayuan Guo
志愿者参与自然探索活动 郭珈源摄
The volunteers were taking part in the nature detective games, Photo by Jiayuan Guo
此外在这次宁夏生态行中，志愿者们不仅参观治沙博物馆增长了见识，还参与了生态位工作坊、沙漠化拼图工作坊，通过这些工作坊学习到了新知识，和同伴们一起充分协作沟通。
The Sand Control Museum at Baijitan Nature Reserve offered the volunteers a broad view of the long history and achievements on fighting desertification through decades. The workshops on Ecological Niche and Desertification Collage motivated the volunteers to learn new things and brainstorm with a team.
志愿者参观治沙博物馆 郭珈源摄
The volunteers were visiting the Sand Control Museum, Photo by Jiayuan Guo
志愿者参与沙漠化拼图工作坊 郭珈源摄
The volunteers in the Desertification Collage Workshop, Photo by Jiayuan Guo
志愿者参与生态位工作坊 郭珈源摄
The volunteers in the Ecological Niche Workshop, Photo by Jiayuan Guo
在活动结束时许多人都还记得在白芨滩远眺的时刻，眼前的景象令志愿者们不住赞叹：一侧是完全未经治理的原始沙漠，一侧则是一望无际的绿色原野，一列列的灌木下方是若隐若现的草方格。而这些成果都是白芨滩保护区的工作人员几十年如一日一个个草方格扎制出来的，没有他们的艰苦奋斗就没有如今的白芨滩。上海根与芽与来自不同公司、学校的志愿者们也希望用自己的力量让白芨滩的治沙精神继续传递下去。
At the end of the event, many people were still marveled at the image they saw on the hilltop at Baijitai, on one side a completely original desert, on the other side an endless green field covered with rows of shrubs and straw grids. The achievements were all made by generations of Baijitan Nature Reserve workers. Without their hard work, there would be no Baijitan today. Shanghai Roots & Shoots and volunteers from different companies and schools, also expressed the desire to make efforts along with them to continue the spirit of fighting desertification in Baijitan.
白芨滩中的原始沙漠与灌木林地 郭珈源摄
The original desert on the background of the forests at Baijitan, Photo by Jiayuan Guo
百万植树计划2024年宁夏林地赞助商纪念碑 郭珈源摄
The MTP 2024 Ningxia Forest Plaque, Photo by Jiayuan Guo