URUMQI, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Ali Niyaz has withstood sandstorms, long days, and frequent misunderstandings, as he shoulders his responsibilities as a ranger to save populus euphratica trees.

The ranger, who is in his 40s, hails from Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The county is located at the middle and lower reaches of the Tarim River, which is home to 1.13-million-hectare populus euphratica forest.

Populus euphratica (more commonly known as "desert poplar") is a rugged species of tree, dubbed "guardian of the desert." It is resistant to low temperatures, drought and saline-alkali soil, and serves as an ideal windbreak and sand-fixation plant.

DYING TREES

Ali Niyaz was born into a herder's family in southern Xinjiang, where populus euphratica trees are deeply rooted in local life. Villagers used to carve wooden bowls and spoons for their children, build wooden fishing canoes, pick up tree branches and collect liquorice in the forest to make extra money.

Starting in the 1950s, overexploitation of water resources along the Tarim River has deteriorated ecological conditions, causing the river to dry up and water levels to drop. Swathes of populus euphratica trees have died as a result.

His hometown Yuli County neighbors the Taklimakan Desert, the world's second largest shifting-sand desert. Every Spring, the raging sandstorms would blow away cotton seedlings, and local residents had to replant them over and over again.

Ali Niyaz was shocked by a sandstorm when he was a child. "Strong winds kicked up sand and dust. It turned the day into night. Everything was blurred," he recalled.

"I love my hometown. We cannot live without populus euphratica trees. I hope the forest can be protected and the local environment can get better," he said.

In 1992, Ali Niyaz returned to Yuli after graduating from a technical secondary school in the regional capital of Urumqi. To everyone's surprise, he gave up a position as a technician and became a ranger.

UNDYING EFFORTS

Ali Niyaz and his fellow rangers took charge of populus euphratica forests, measuring 520 km long and 240 km wide. Since 1999, they have spent a big chunk of their life clearing river courses, growing trees, building straw checkboard barriers, and promoting forest protection policy and fire prevention knowledge.

The weather is extremely harsh on the borders of deserts. During his many years guarding the forest, he has encountered countless sandstorms. "It was difficult to breathe. Sands were found everywhere from your bed to your nose and ears," he recalled.

In summer, the temperature can reach above 40 degrees Celsius, while in winter it will drop to minus 20 degrees Celsius. However, no matter the weather, forest rangers have to patrol for dozens of kilometers everyday on their motorbikes.

Harsh weather is just one of the many challenges Ali Niyaz has to face. He has also had to grapple with local residents who destroyed the forest for firewood, plowland and other purposes.

"Now, deforestation for plowland and excessive felling can no longer be seen," he said.

The majority of rangers in Yuli consist of local herders. Life is hard for a ranger, and many young men ultimately give up. Eli Niyaz has to continuously encourage and boost the morale of his young colleagues.

Over the years, more and more people in Yuli have joined the drive to protect the populus euphratica forest. The number of rangers has grown from 15 in 1997 to the present 190.

PROMISING FUTURE

In the hope of saving the forest, in 2001, Xinjiang started to channel water from upstream sections of the Tarim River to the forest in its lower reaches during the high-water season.

In 2019, a restoration project was initiated to enhance the forest's capacity for self-repair through building flood diversion facilities to irrigate the degraded populus euphratica trees.

"With the strong support of national policies, we will not give up a single populus euphratica tree, no matter how hard we need to work," Ali Niyaz said.

He feels his efforts to save the populus euphratica forest have paid off.

The restoration of the forest has prevented the Taklimakan and Kumtag deserts from merging. The lush trees have reduced the windy and dusty weather, attracted an increasing number of wild animals, migratory birds and tourists, and fattened local residents' wallets.

Now, as head of the county's national forest management bureau, Ali Niyaz has still not given up his duties as a ranger. He continues patrolling the forests to check on his trees.

"For people who live on the edge of a desert, populus euphratica trees are like our life. It seems that we have saved them, but in fact, it is they who have protected us," he said.