During the early years of the People’s Republic of China, significant scientific and technological challenges arose around the construction of the Baotou-Lanzhou Railway.

With the unremitting efforts of several generations of researchers, scientists from the Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources addressed problems such as straw checkerboard barrier and its sand-binding effect, revegetation for sand fixation (non-irrigation) and the selection and configuration of plant species for sand fixation.

They proposed new theories regarding the construction of desert railway protection systems, thus ensuring smooth operation of the Baotou-Lanzhou Railway. They also elucidated mechanisms for ecological restoration, providing a scientific foundation for conserving western China’s ecological environment and for converting agricultural land back to forested land.

Today, the successful theoretical framework and practical model of Shapotou have been applied widely, with crucial significance for environmental conservation in arid regions globally.