The government of Qinghai province said at a press conference on Nov. 8 that they have paused their plan to transplant a tamarisk forest, which is being removed for the construction of a hydropower station.
Previous media reports stated that the Yangqushui reservoir of the hydropower station will take up most of the habitat of the tamarix chinensis, a type of tree that can alleviate sand storms, salinization and desertification. Tang Wanqing, the local government spokesperson, responded to public concerns about the transplant of the old trees, explaining that a protection plan for the trees will eventually be worked out.
The habitat of the trees takes up about 40.866 million hectares of Qinghai province, 5,133 hectares of which would be underwater after the reservoir is filled. Though 25 trees have been successfully transplanted, according to Tang, some experts still think such measures lack feasibility, and could lead to the trees' death.
Tamarix chinensis trees have great ornamental, economic and medical value. The trees currently in question are much bigger and older than those in other areas.
