China achieves substantial reduction in degraded grasslands

HOHHOT, July 9 (Xinhua) -- China has made significant progress in reversing grassland degradation over the past five years, with degraded grasslands shrinking by an average of 50 million mu (approximately 3.33 million hectares) annually, officials announced Tuesday at a national conservation conference in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

The country has maintained stable grassland vegetation coverage exceeding 50 percent while significantly reducing degraded areas. Strict legal enforcement has addressed nearly 30,000 violations nationwide since 2021.

Targeted measures successfully controlled overgrazing in key regions like Inner Mongolia, achieving balanced grassland-livestock capacity. Annual fresh grass production now surpasses 600 million tonnes nationwide.

Grass seed supply shortages have been largely resolved. Support policies now benefit over 16 million farming households, according to the conference, which noted that future initiatives will prioritize artificial grassland development, sustainable grazing management, and stricter protection policies to strengthen ecological security. ■