2025 12

Protected Animals Spotted in Project Area

In the Suosuo project area situated along the western foothills of the Helan Mountains, sightings of the red deer—a species under second-class national protection—have been recorded. During the final month of 2025, while conducting follow-up work on our projects, we received a particularly heartwarming surprise: sightings of rare and protected wildlife were successively reported across multiple project sites. In December, routine patrols were carried out in the project area located along the western foothills of the Helan Mountains; a total of five patrols were completed, covering a distance of approximately 30 kilometers. During this month, infrared cameras deployed in the region captured images of not only common avian species—such as the Eurasian magpie—but also, for the very first time, the elusive red deer. The cameras recorded traces of this second-class nationally protected animal on multiple occasions and at various times throughout both day and night; these frequent appearances serve as the most authentic and gratifying affirmation of the project's impact.

2025 11

Continuously monitoring the replanting status of the Ordos site.

The project team is monitoring the progress of autumn replanting across the vegetation restoration plots designated for the 2023–2025 period in Ordos. They are conducting on-site verifications of the results and providing guidance to growers whose plots failed to meet standards, with the aim of ensuring successful compliance during the next round of acceptance inspections. Upon completing the autumn acceptance inspections, the project team immediately traveled to various locations within Ordos—specifically Otog Front Banner, Otog Banner, and Uxin Banner—to conduct on-site follow-ups regarding the autumn replanting activities for the 2023–2025 vegetation restoration project. In 2023, the project involved the planting of a total of 3.4 million *Salix psammophila* (sand willow) saplings and 5 million *Caragana korshinskii* (Korshinsky peashrub) saplings across Otog Front Banner and Otog Banner in Ordos, covering a total area of ​​63,166 mu. Following third-party acceptance inspections, an area of ​​41,147 mu was certified as meeting the required standards. Currently, the growers whose plots failed the initial acceptance inspections have successively commenced their replanting efforts. Based on the project team's on-site monitoring, the results of this autumn's replanting appear promising. To further guarantee the long-term success of the planting efforts, the project team recommends that growers who have not yet undertaken replanting do so this year, and then conduct a second, targeted round of replanting in the spring of 2026—tailored to the specific conditions of their planting sites—with the ultimate goal of achieving full compliance during the survival rate acceptance inspection scheduled for the autumn of 2026.

2025 10

The total area verified this autumn has reached 59,918 acre

In October, the project team completed the autumn inspection for the 2025 vegetation restoration project, covering a cumulative area of ​​363,800 mu. After more than two months of fieldwork, the project team concluded the autumn inspection (assessing survival and retention rates) for this year's vegetation restoration project in October. To date, the inspection scope has covered multiple regions—including Alxa, Ordos, Chifeng, and Xilingol—encompassing a cumulative area of ​​363,800 mu. Of this total, 299,400 mu met the required standards, resulting in a pass rate of over 82% for the inspected areas. Plots that failed the inspection will undergo replanting during either the autumn or spring seasons. Notably, in the Ordos project area, replanting operations for the failed plots were initiated concurrently with the finalization of the inspection process. Acting strictly in accordance with the inspection results, the project partners precisely identified the specific areas requiring replanting; they then coordinated the allocation of suitable saplings, scientifically planned the planting schedule and methodology, and steadily advanced the replanting efforts. Moving forward, the project team will continue to monitor the survival status of the replanted saplings and strengthen post-planting management measures to ensure the effectiveness of vegetation restoration in these areas.

2025 9

In September, the vegetation verification for over 30,000 mu was completed.

The project commissioned a qualified third party to conduct the final acceptance inspection; the total area inspected amounted to 31,132.1 mu, involving tree species such as *Caragana*, *Xanthoceras sorbifolium*, *Acer truncatum*, *Pinus sylvestris* var. *mongolica*, elm, and yellow willow. In September, the project team traveled to Ongniud Banner and Hangjin Banner in Ordos City, as well as Xilingol League within the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, to carry out acceptance inspections for vegetation restoration projects. For this round of inspections, a qualified third party was commissioned to conduct the assessment; the total area inspected covered 31,132.1 mu (approximately 3.6108 million trees), involving species such as *Caragana*, *Xanthoceras sorbifolium*, *Acer truncatum*, *Pinus sylvestris* var. *mongolica*, elm, and yellow willow. To date, the project team has conducted acceptance inspections across regions including Alxa League, Ordos City, Chifeng City, and Xilingol League, covering a total area of ​​226,389.1 mu (approximately 17.6638 million desert-adapted plants). Of this total, an area of ​​196,620 mu (approximately 13.7138 million plants) passed the inspection; areas that did not meet the acceptance criteria will undergo replanting this autumn or next spring, and the project team will continue to closely monitor the progress.

2025 8

The project team has accepted over 21,400 acres of cultivated land

In August, the project team conducted the final acceptance inspection for the 2022–2025 Vegetation Restoration Project in the Alxa region, covering a total area exceeding 130,000 mu. As the first cool breezes of autumn arrived in August, the project team commenced large-scale acceptance inspections. They remained stationed almost continuously throughout the month at the project site—located over a hundred kilometers away—focusing their efforts on advancing the acceptance tasks for the deferred 2022 projects as well as the 2023–2025 Alxa regional vegetation restoration projects. Specifically, the deferred 2022 projects involved two land plots totaling 4,078 mu, while the 2023–2025 projects encompassed 53 land plots totaling 131,324 mu. For the 4,078 mu of vegetation restoration projects deferred from 2022, a partner organization commissioned a professional third party to conduct the acceptance inspection. Following verification, key metrics—including planting density, planted area, and survival rate—were all found to meet the required standards. The next step involves processing payments to the project households in accordance with the survival rate acceptance report. For the 51,324 mu of vegetation restoration projects planted in 2023, the project team commissioned a third party to carry out the acceptance inspection. Upon inspection, the tree species, planting density, area coverage, and survival rates at the planting sites were all confirmed to meet the required standards; the project team will subsequently disburse the corresponding payments based on the acceptance report.