Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily (Reporter Zhang Dongmei) news: Every autumn, the golden euphrates poplar forests along the Tarim River in Xinjiang always draw countless tourists and photography enthusiasts. Deep within the Taklimakan Desert, on both sides of the Tarim River, vast swathes of euphrates poplar seeds drift with the wind and slowly move forward with the flow of ecological water replenishment during the flood season of the Tarim River.

Photo shows the primeval poplar forest presents colors like those in an oil painting in the golden autumn of October, located in Luntai County, Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photp by Zhang Jun)

Some people wonder, is the euphrates poplar forest in Xinjiang disappearing on a large scale? The answer is no. Not only are they not vanishing on a large scale, but the euphrates poplar forests in Xinjiang are also regaining their vitality through a series of scientific conservation measures.

The euphrates poplar is one of the oldest tree species on Earth, known as the "hero tree of the desert." If one can see a forest in the desert, it must be a natural euphrates poplar forest.

For the vast oases in southern Xinjiang, the natural euphrates poplar forests serve as the oldest ecological defense line, shielding the people living on the oases from the windblown sand erosion of the Taklimakan Desert for thousands of years.

File photo shows the poplar forest, bathed in golden hues, enters its most charming and enchanting moment in late autumn.

China is home to 61 percent of the world's euphrates poplar forests, with the majority concentrated in the Tarim River Basin, playing a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance in the extremely fragile ecological zone of the Taklimakan Desert.

However, affected by river channel changes, climate change, human activities, and other factors, the natural regeneration capacity of euphrates poplar forests has declined, and the degradation of vegetation communities has become evident, with some areas indeed facing a crisis of poplar forest degradation.

In response to these challenges, Xinjiang has been conducting ecological water delivery to the lower reaches of the Tarim River for more than two decades since 2000. In 2019, Xinjiang launched the rescue action for euphrates poplar forests in the Tarim River Basin, and since then, the state has allocated special funds annually for the construction of ancillary facilities for flood diversion and water replenishment. By the end of 2024, a cumulative total of 16.6237 million mu (about 1.11 million hectares) of euphrates poplar forests have been irrigated with floodwater, significantly improving their health conditions.

Photo taken on October 28, 2025 shows Wang Wei, chairman of the Bayingolin Music Association and a photography enthusiast, captures a lively scene in the euphrates poplar forest along the Tarim River, where red deer were chasing and frolicking among the trees.

Among them, Bachu County has adopted the method of flood irrigation, introducing water from the Yarkant River to irrigate the "wind-felled tree" forest area. At the same time, seeds of euphrates poplars, tamarisks, and other plants are scattered into the forest area with the floodwater. Surprisingly, 40 percent of the euphrates poplars in this area have revitalized, and plants such as licorice and goji berries have also emerged.

Protecting euphrates poplars goes far beyond simply introducing water for irrigation. Professor Li Zhijun from the College of Life Science and Technology at Tarim University explained, "Euphrates poplars are not only tenacious in life but also a very intelligent tree species. When faced with extremely arid environments, they sacrifice their leaves, branches, and trunks, allowing them to wither in order to reduce water consumption and sustain life. These seemingly dead poplars can resume growth as soon as they encounter water." This year, the seedling cultivation and transplantation technique for euphrates poplars throughout the entire growth season, developed by Li Zhijun and his team, has achieved success.

File photo shows the golden poplar forests in Xinjiang always attract a large number of tourists every autumn.

Nowadays, millions of mu of euphrates poplar forests along the Tarim River are lush and verdant, with their forest ecological functions steadily improving. Wild animals such as Tibetan gazelles, Tarim rabbits, and foxes have begun to appear in the forest areas. As the ecological environment continues to improve, the popularity of the Tarim euphrates poplar forests has soared, attracting numerous tourists who come to experience the grandeur and tenacity of the euphrates poplars up close. 　

Photo shows the primitive poplar forests together with the rivers and lakes form a magnificent and beautiful picture in Shaya County, Aksu Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Wang Jian)

The spirit of the euphrates poplar is embodied in the saying: "It lives for a thousand years without dying, stands for a thousand years without falling after death, and remains unrotten for a thousand years even when fallen." Through scientific conservation and sustained efforts, the euphrates poplar forests in Xinjiang have not only not vanished but have instead thrived with even greater vitality.

This golden forest will continue to stand tall on the edge of the Taklimakan Desert, safeguarding the oases and people of Xinjiang, and serving as an even more robust green ecological barrier.

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