South China's Guangdong province has surpassed national desertification control targets during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021–2025), bringing 187,000 mu (12,467 hectares) of sandy land and 133,600 mu of rocky desertification land under effective management, local forestry authorities said. Average vegetation coverage reached 70.32 percent in sandy areas and 72.8 percent in karst regions. 

The province's total rocky desertification area now stands at 455,700 mu, a cumulative reduction of 766,100 mu since the launch of governance efforts. With a total investment of 400 million yuan ($5.95 million), Guangdong has built two national rocky desertification parks in karst-concentrated areas of Shaoguan, Wanshan Chaowang in Liannan and Ruyuan Xijing Historical Trail in Ruyuan, strengthening karst ecosystems.

Re‑planting Casuarina equisetifolia in the coastal shelterbelt of Lufeng, Shanwei City. [Photo provided to lyj.gd.gov.cn/]

To restore degraded coastal sandy areas, local authorities have planted wind- and salt-tolerant tree species, strengthened protection of young and existing forests, and cracked down on activities that damage vegetation. These efforts have helped improve the coastal environment.

According to estimates, forests in rocky desertification areas are able to conserve 14.843 million cubic meters of water, absorb 540,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide and release 20,000 tons of oxygen each year. Their capacities for water conservation, carbon sequestration, oxygen release and soil and water conservation continue to grow stronger, and biodiversity is gradually recovering.

Going forward, Guangdong will continue to improve the long-term governance mechanism for sandy and rocky desertification land, consolidate control outcomes, and upgrade coastal ecological barriers as well as ecological restoration in karst regions.