At the No.1 high-altitude trial tree planting base by the Cequ River in Nagqu City, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, the first batch of alpine willow saplings planted in 2008 has celebrated its 18th birthday this year. The saplings, which were less than 30 centimeters tall when planted, havegrown to 4.5 meters in heightnow, bearing witness to the end of the "treeless history" in China's highest-altitude prefecture-level city.

As Tree Planting Day approaches, sitting at an altitude of 4,500 meters,Nagqu Town, remains bitterly cold with minimum temperatures hovering around minus 10 degrees Celsius. Along the Cequ River, on the green belts of Yingbin Road, and inside many government compounds, stretches of alpine willows and Bagong willows have grown into woods. A closer look reveals buds on the branches pregnant with fresh greenery of spring.

"Currently, the number of trial-planted trees in Nagqu City stands at around 80,000, with a survival rate reaching 80%," said Wang Mingqing, Party secretary and deputy director of Nagqu Forestry and Grassland Bureau. "Nagqu was once deemed 'unsuitable for tree planting' due to its high altitude, deep permafrost, strong winds and cold weather. Now, patches of new greenery have made up for the regrets of several generations of forestry workers on the plateau and met the expectations of the citizens."

It is understood that trial tree planting in Nagqu City began in the 1990s. Most of the trees planted in the first trial in 1998 did not survive until the following spring. In 2007, 10 poplar trees were introduced, but only one survived. After arduous exploration, the people of Nagqu came to realize that tree planting in high-altitude, cold areas should follow a scientific approach, taking steady and persistent steps.

In 2008, the Nagqu Forestry and Grassland Bureau established the No.1 high-altitude trial tree planting base, marking an important turning point in tree planting historythere. The 12-acre standardized trial base kicked off large-scale tree planting experiments in Nagqu. The batch of alpine willows now celebrating their "coming of age" was planted that year.

Through continuous experimentation and screening, Nagqu has eventually developed a planting system featuring mainly alpine willows and sea buckthorn, supplemented by beautiful myricaria and Bagong willows.

Data chronicles the journey of high-altitude tree planting in Nagqu: In 2018, Zhejiang West Road saw the first street tree planting trial in Nagqu's urban history; in 2019, the 7-kilometer-long Yingbin Road completed its trial greening. In the urban area of Nagqu, trees are no longer a rarity; lush greenery now flourishes in sheltered, sunny locations.

"I feel that trees are my children, and I have taken this work as my most beloved career," said Tenzin Phuntsog, deputy section chief of the Ecological Protection and Restoration Section of Nagqu Forestry and Grassland Bureau, who spends more than 150 days a year on the front lines of trial planting. Tree planters in Nagqu like Tenzin Phuntsog often get covered in dust on sunny days and mud on rainy days, diligently caring for the green of their homeland.

"I grew up in a pastoral area and had never seen trees. When I first came here for work and saw so many trees all at once, I found it unbelievable!" said Wangchuk, a 48-year-old hired for the daily management of trial planting. Currently, he and his partner are busy watering, pruning and fertilizing the trees, preparing for their spring sprouting. He said, "I am confident that I can plant and manage these trees well!"

Looking to the future, Wang Mingqing said, "Focusing on the goal of 'enhancing the quality of Nagqu,' we will continue to take measures based on local conditions and make steady progress. I believe that in the near future, Nagqu will present more and more beautiful scenes where 'trees can be seen as soon as one steps out and greenery can be seen as soon as one looks up'."

Reporters: Wang Chun, Zhao Shubin

Translators: Zheng Yujie, Liu Fang

Reviews: Drakpa Wangchen, Phurbu Tsering