这对中国父子用30年治愈了11万亩“地球癌症” | From Desert to Land Rich

https://v.qq.com/txp/iframe/player.html?vid=r0691zyrpbi&width=500&height=375&auto=0

Located between Ordos city of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Yulin Prefecture of Shaanxi Province, Mu Us Desert is listed as one of China's four major sandy lands.

毛乌素沙漠是中国四大沙地之一，从内蒙古鄂尔多斯一直延伸到陕西榆林地区。

It used to be a fertile pasture in ancient times. Due to war damage and climate change, however, it gradually became a barren land with frequent sandstorms in the dynasty of Qing. The desert continued to expand southward, forcing the inhabitants to yield.

古时，这里是一片水草丰美的牧场。但因为连年战乱和气候变化，到了清代，它逐渐变得寸草不生，沙暴肆虐。并且，沙漠的面积还在不断扩大，逐步南侵，演变成沙进人退的局面。

Zhang Liqiang is the third child in the family, whose ancestors had settled here at Jingbian county, southern fringe of the desert. When he was a child, there was nothing but sand. It was quite slippery walking barefoot. Although fun for the kids, these magnificent dunes have been devastating for local farmers' lives. 

张立强是家中的第三子。从祖上开始，他们家就在沙漠南缘的陕西省靖边县生活。小时候，除了沙子，地上什么都没有，光脚踩着滑溜溜的。这对孩子们而言，别有一番乐趣。但对以种田为生的农人而言，这些美丽的沙丘带来的是无尽的沙害。

In the spring, many crops would be uprooted by the sandstorms. After an overnight wind, the door could be blocked by piles of sand. The villagers had to shovel them every morning.

每年春天，农作物都会被风沙连根拔起。有时候刮一晚上风，门就会被沙堆堵上，打都打不开。每天早上，村民都得把门口的沙子铲走。

At that time, Zhang's family was relatively well-off in the village. They could afford "luxury food" such as wheat-flour buns and congee. Yet the overwhelming sandstorms have been a thorn in the side of Zhang and his father, Zhang Jiawang.

当时，张立强家在村子里经济条件尚好，是少见的“万元户”，常常能吃上白面蒸馍和稀饭之类的“奢侈品”。但动辄风沙漫天的环境让张立强的父亲张加旺心里很不踏实。

To improve the living environment and help the villagers grow for common prosperity, Zhang Jiawang contracted for part of the desert in the north of the village and started the afforestation in 1984. The roots could immobilize the drifting dunes, which stops the desert from expanding and reduces the damage caused by sandstorms.

为了改善生存条件，让大家能放心种庄稼、共同致富，从1984年起，张加旺承包村子北面的沙漠，开始植树治沙。这些树的根系能牢牢固定住流动的沙丘，制止沙漠进一步扩大，也能大大缓解风沙带来的危害。

"Someday, there will be a forest instead of the desert. We'll sit under the green trees, enjoying freshly picked fruit and refreshing air. It must be wonderful." Father used to tell Zhang about his dream.

“以后这里会从荒漠变成树林，我们就可以坐在绿油油的树下乘凉，吃从树上摘下来的新鲜瓜果，呼吸着新鲜的空气，这该是多么美好的一件事啊！”父亲常对张立强说起自己的理想。

Hiring workers, purchasing saplings… The efforts significantly degraded the family's economic conditions. Wheat-flour buns were no longer on the table. They also had to sell off the valuables. Yet Zhang Jiawang wouldn't give up a bit.

请帮工、买树苗……治沙的开销眼中降低了张立强一家的生活质量。不仅吃不上白面馒头，还将家中值钱的东西悉数变卖。但张加旺没有放弃。

He'd been seriously ill due to years of hard work in the desert. Being bedridden, he urged Zhang Liqiang that: "The afforestation cause cannot be achieved within a couple of generations.”

由于长期在沙漠中劳作，张加旺积劳成疾。但即使是病重的时候，他也嘱咐张立强：“植树造林不是一代人两代人就可以完成的。”

Zhang's mother, Niu Yuqin took over the task later on. Like her late husband, she spent most of her life in the forest. Fellow villagers would like to call her "Old Niu," which literally means a diligent cattle. She was one of the "Ten Most Eminent Women in China," a "National Model Worker" and one of the "Ten National Afforestation Pioneers." These awards have, however, little impact on Niu's lifestyle. Even when the family was almost broke, she didn't sell, nor cut down a single tree.

张加旺去世后，张立强的母亲牛玉琴接过了重担。她和丈夫一样，天当被，地当床，大半辈子都在林中度过。熟悉她的村民们都称她为“老牛”。“全国十大女杰”“全国劳动模范”“全国十大绿化标兵”……这些荣誉称号并没有改变她的生活方式。即使家里揭不开锅，她也没有卖掉任何一株树苗，砍掉任何一棵成材的树木。

As the years go by, Niu became hard of hearing. She carries a small bell with her. It was a gift from Zhang Jiawang some fifty years ago. "It's more precious than a diamond ring to me," she said.

随着年龄的增长，牛玉琴逐渐耳背起来。但她依然随身带着一只铃铛，是张加旺五十多年前送给她的。“这比钻戒都珍贵。”她说。

The family's cause continues. Zhang Liqiang joined his parents at the age of 20. He keeps trying new species of trees while preserves the sand breaks. In addition to Scots pines, Chinese willows and poplars, they have successfully planted cash crops such as Chinese dwarf cherry and hazels.

现在，这家人的治沙工程还在继续。张立强从二十岁起和父母一起投入这项事业，不断试验治沙植物的新品种，维护已有的防沙林。除了樟子松、旱柳、杨树，他们还成功在沙地里种上了欧李、榛子等经济作物。

Every couple of days, Zhang drives his mother to the forest. The children wouldn't let Niu do physical labor anymore. But every time she insists in climbing up the ridge and trimming with scissors she's been carrying for a decade. She just can't let go of what she's been doing for her life.

每隔几天，张立强会开车载着母亲去林子转一转。因为年纪大了，子女们不让牛玉琴干活。但每次进林子她都不顾阻拦，一定要掏出用了十多年的剪刀，爬上沙梁，修剪几棵树木。她放不下这件做了一辈子的事。

Over the past 30 years, the governed desert area near Jingbian county has reached 73 km2. As much as 45 species have been planted here.

经过三十多年的努力，靖边县附近成功治理的沙漠面积达到11万亩，插育的物种达到45种。

"Every blade of grass has the right to live," said Zhang. "We are taking care of those little lives." He's carefully watering the sapling. Not far from him, the land is filled with greenery planted by two generations of this family.

“每棵树，每棵草都是一个小生命，”张立强说，“咱们在这里呵护着很多很多的小生命。” 他小心地将一壶水浇在幼嫩的树苗根上。不远处，是两代人用大半生植下的郁郁葱葱。

Cameraman: Kang Songwei

Film editor: Qi Mantong

Story written by: Zhu Siqi

English editor: Keely Stanly

往期链接：

Suggestions and Cooperation

请读者广提建议，您的建议很重要

投稿与合作：[e-mail]