A New Approach in Converting Desert into Pasture: Fengning County, Hebei Province, China

Abstract

The thematic focus of this paper is to introduce a way to prevent desertification in the steppe climatic region by reducing wind velocity on ground surface and introducing a know-how of a specially designed drip-irrigation system that is sustainable in arid climate. The current desertification processes are rapidly expanding over the steppe climatic region worldwide, closely overlapping with Steppe Climatic Region (BS) of Koppen Climatic Classification. The basic thought in my study is to prevent desertification in the steppe climatic region by reducing wind velocity so that evaporation does not exceed precipitation. By applying Bernoulli’s equation for a one-kilometer-square pilot project in Fengning County, Hebei Province, China, it is estimated that four layers of tree windbreak in a square shape are sufficient to reduce wind velocity for the reforestation (Kim 2011). To avoid frequent failure of reforestation in the arid area owing to buildup of calcium layers and salt flat, a specially designed drip-irrigation system is introduced. Utilizing the favorable physical settings in the high altitude in arid area, a rotating solar power plant is planned to provide for pumping underground water for the drip irrigation. It is estimated that six kilowatts are sufficient power to support irrigation for a one-kilometer-square area, with a few dwelling units in the innermost 400-square-meter area. Once the Fengning pilot project is proven to be successful, it is hoped that the same system may be extended to the adjacent arid region and beyond.