1. Basic Geographical Overview
The Natural Green Corridor of the Tarim River’s middle and lower reaches lies on the northern margin of the Tarim Basin in southern Xinjiang, China. It stretches westward from Qara Reservoir in Yuli County eastward to Taitema Lake in Ruoqiang County, with a total length of roughly 420 km and a width ranging from 1 km to 10 km若羌县人民.... Wedged between the Taklamakan Desert (the world’s second-largest shifting desert) in the west and the Kuruktag Desert in the east, this riparian woodland belt is nurtured exclusively by the Tarim River — China’s longest inland river with a total drainage area of 1.02 million km²People's D....
The region belongs to an arid warm temperate continental climate. Annual precipitation only ranges from 17.4 mm to 42 mm, while annual potential evaporation hits 2,500–3,000 mm, making surface runoff the sole reliable water source for terrestrial vegetation here.
Tarim River green corridor aerial view
Populus euphratica along Tarim River
2. Core Vegetation & Biodiversity
Populus euphratica (Euphrates poplar / desert poplar) is the iconic dominant species across the corridor, forming the world’s largest contiguous natural Euphrates poplar forest, covering about 1 million hectares (15 million mu) along the river banks. Matching the poplars are large areas of Tamarix ramosissima (tamarisk), reeds, apocynum, liquorice and other drought-resistant desert riparian plants, jointly forming a stable desert riparian ecosystem (Tugai forest).
This corridor acts as a natural wildlife habitat. It shelters over 90 bird species, more than 20 mammal species, reptiles, amphibians and unique endemic fish species of the Tarim River, serving as a vital gene bank for arid zone biological resources in northwest China.
3. Crucial Ecological Functions
Blocking desert convergence: It is the most critical ecological barrier stopping the Taklamakan and Kuruktag Deserts from merging. Without this green belt, wind-blown sand would spread eastward toward Gansu and Qinghai provinces under northwest monsoons, worsening regional desertification on a larger scale新华网.
Wind breaking and sand fixation: Riparian forests stabilize riverbank soil, curb sand drifting and reduce wind erosion, effectively protecting National Highway 218 — the major transportation artery connecting Korla, Ruoqiang and Qinghai Province that runs parallel to the corridor.
Regulating regional microclimate: Vegetation raises local humidity, slows soil moisture loss and maintains the groundwater balance of the downstream plain and Taitema Lake wetland.
Supporting oasis livelihood: It safeguards the survival of local indigenous residents’ oases, animal husbandry and characteristic agricultural production in the lower Tarim basin.
4. Ecological Degradation & Restoration Project
From the 1970s onward, excessive water diversion for upstream agricultural reclamation plus climate aridification caused a 363-km section of the lower Tarim mainstream to dry up for nearly 30 years. Groundwater levels dropped sharply, massive Euphrates poplars withered, Taitema Lake dried out completely, and the green corridor faced irreversible shrinkage and desertification threats.
In 2000, China launched the Tarim River Basin comprehensive management and ecological water conveyance project. Up to 2026, 26 rounds of centralized ecological water delivery have been implemented, with a cumulative water discharge exceeding 10 billion cubic meters.
Groundwater levels along the river have risen significantly; large numbers of withered poplars have sprouted new branches;
Taitema Lake has been revived permanently; around 2,285 km² of degraded vegetation has been rehabilitated, and sandy land area has decreased by 854 km²新华网;
The broken desert green barrier has been basically repaired, realizing a remarkable turnaround from ecological recession to steady restoration.
5. Tourism & Protection Value
Integrating primitive poplar forests, winding river courses, desert wetlands and unique wild desert scenery, the green corridor is a famous eco-tourism destination for poplar viewing, desert photography, river sightseeing and popular science research. Meanwhile, the whole zone is under strict classified protection via the Tarim Poplar National Nature Reserve to sustain long-term ecological security of southern Xinjiang.
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