Desert Forest Sea Scenery

Desert Forest Sea Scenery

This landscape is located within the vast pine forest of Zhanggutai Town, Zhangwu County, approximately 160 kilometers from Fuxin City.

The formation of the sandy land is mainly due to erosion from the Horqin Sandy Land in Inner Mongolia to the north, as well as the flooding and deposition caused by the Liuriver. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, through afforestation, grass planting, soil and water conservation, and the advancement of sand-fixation experiments and research on improving sandy land at Zhanggutai, afforestation efforts were intensified to prevent further desertification. These measures have yielded positive results, reducing mobile sand dunes to 39,200 acres scattered across Sihecheng Township, Zhanggutai Town, Houxin Qiu Town, and A’erxiang Livestock Farm, among others. Cultivable land has reached 430,000 acres.

Zhanggutai is situated at the southern edge of the Horqin Sandy Land, known as the “800-li Desert.” In the early years after the founding of the nation, this area was a vast expanse of rolling sand dunes that encroached upon fertile farmland. In the early 1950s, the state established a Sand-Fixation and Afforestation Research Institute here. Through over 30 years of effort by the researchers, an oasis was created in the desert — tens of thousands of acres of man-made windbreak and sand-fixation forests. This remarkable landscape is like a green gem embedded in a golden sea of sand, with lush greenery, fragrant blossoms, birdsong and wildlife, and the whispering sounds of the pine forest. Visitors can enjoy activities such as sand lake bathing, forest bathing, and sunbathing, herd cattle and sheep, collect wild mushrooms like red mushrooms, yellow mushrooms, and straw mushrooms, or participate in sand dune afforestation to experience firsthand how human efforts can tame the rampaging “yellow dragon” — a true testament to man’s ability to conquer nature. Climbing the four-story fire watchtower and looking northward, you’ll see the endless yellow sands of the Horqin Desert. When strong autumn winds blow, the rolling waves of sand are awe-inspiring. Overlooking the surroundings, the green trees and golden sands contrast brilliantly. Standing atop the tower evokes thoughts of ancient times, marveling at human strength and the wondrous beauty of the landscape.

Zhanggutai Town: Zhanggutai is located at the northwestern edge of Liaoning Province, in the northern part of Zhangwu County. It lies at the southeastern frontier of the Horqin Sandy Land, bordering Sihecheng Township to the east, Inner Mongolia's Horqin Left Rear Banner to the west, Fengjia Town and Daleng Mongolian Ethnic Township to the south, Dadexiang to the southeast, and A’ershiang Township to the north. It falls within a sub-humid arid zone, with an annual precipitation of 450–550 millimeters and an annual evaporation rate of 1200–1450 millimeters. The average annual temperature is 5.7°C, with a maximum of 35.2°C and a minimum of -29.5°C. The peak instantaneous wind speed can reach 32 meters per second, and there are up to 240 days per year with wind speeds exceeding 5 meters per second... More detailed information about Zhanggutai Town++