In southwest China's Xizang, workers are climbing to altitudes of over 4,000 meters to plant millions of trees, helping reshape the region's environment and its future. Cen Ziyuan reports on the decades-long effort of greening Xizang's rocky landscape.

From a barren land to a landscape covered in green, hundreds of workers have packed their lunches and water pipes to stay in the mountains of Lhasa, planting trees to ensure this land is covered in forest.

The pursuit of reform known in China as "ecological civilization," is driven by an unwavering commitment.

MA DAWU Project Manager Xizang Wanduo Construction Engineering Company "When we first started, the challenges were immense. The mountains around Lhasa are all rocky and barren. Just digging planting pits was a huge task – the ground was full of stones, and even with machines, one person could only dig two or three slightly larger pits a day. It was exhausting."

The project, initially focused on Lhasa, was expanded to the whole of Xizang in 2021.

CEN ZIYUAN Lhasa "The city of Lhasa has transformed into a garden city thanks to these workers. My heart was pounding as I moved through the bushes, trying to keep up with their pace."

Ma's entire project area is divided into 11 zones, with each zone assigned to around 11 to 13 people.

MI JIU Team Leader Xizang Wanduo Construction Engineering Company "If we don't take good care of the trees, all our hard work would go to waste. To ensure higher survival rates, we focus on proper care across all of Lhasa. That's how the city becomes greener and more beautiful with each passing year."

When the project was launched in 2017, Xizang's forest coverage stood at just 12.14 percent.

The original target was to raise it to 12.31 percent, but the region ultimately surpassed expectations, reaching 12.54 percent by 2025.

CEN ZIYUAN Lhasa "Although the increase may seem modest, Xizang's harsh natural environment, marked by high altitude, low temperatures, arid conditions, and a fragile ecosystem, makes every 0.1 percentage point increase the result of an enormous effort."

JIGME RIGDZIN Lhasa Resident "There's a park right near our home. After work in the evening, I take my wife and kids for a walk or a dance in the park. The facilities there are pretty well developed now, and the surrounding environment keeps getting better. Life is becoming happier and more fulfilling."

What was once considered a distant vision is now steadily becoming reality. On the roof of the world, persistence and patience are transforming the landscape, one tree at a time. Cen Ziyuan, CGTN, Lhasa, Xizang Autonomous Region.