Chongqing Daily 2023-12-04 22:18

The scene of the announcement ceremony of Chongqing's "the Most beautiful Eco-environmentalist" in 2023. Photo by reporter Zhang Jinhui/Visual Chongqing

    On December 3, after participating in the official release of the list of Chongqing's "Most beautiful ecological environmental protection people" in 2023, Yi Zhijian planned to lead the desert soil technology team of Chongqing Jiaotong University to return to the experimental base as soon as possible to open a new round of research. As the leader of the team, Professor Yi Zhijian told the reporter the story of desert into oasis.

   "The existing research on desertification control focuses on sand fixation, but does not change the mechanical-ecological characteristics of the sand body itself, so it is difficult to fundamentally solve the expansion of desertification and its harm." Yi Zhijian introduced that as early as 2008, he proposed the scientific problem of "particle matter constraint mechanics" and the basic concept of "desert soil", and began to set up an interdisciplinary research team to carry out theoretical research. "Once we had a direction, we started to work on the theory day by day."

Professor Yi Zhijian, Desert Soil Technology Team, Chongqing Jiaotong University. Photo by reporter Zhang Jinhui/Visual Chongqing

   Beginning in 2009, Yi Zhijian led his team to carry out in-depth theoretical research and indoor and outdoor tests, obtaining a large number of original verification results and data, and finally forming a perfect theoretical framework and method of desert soilization in 2012. In the following three years, the team began to simulate the desert environment in Chongqing "sand soil" planting test, and completed the research and development of plant fiber adhesive with universal binding constraint effect and performance characterization research, by the national authority to test non-toxic and no side effects.

  After the completion of the preliminary preparation, the desert soilization technology team of Chongqing Jiaotong University officially carried out the field verification test, pilot test and industrialization test of desert soilization technology in desert ecological restoration in 2016, with footprints all over the world.

  After 7 years of dedicated research, Yi Zhijian decided to lead the team to the desert to field test, and contacted the relevant person in charge of the Inner Mongolia Alxa League. Hearing that a scientific research team is coming to conduct research, the first reaction of the local leader is "funding, or project?"

  "No project, no money, just a piece of desert land, no interference!" Yi Zhijian's answer made the person in charge deeply shocked, and then gave as much support as possible.

Chongqing Jiaotong University desert soil technology team. Photo by reporter Zhang Jinhui/Visual Chongqing

  The environment in the desert is extremely bad, often wind and sand raging, eyes, nose, mouth are full of sand, flying sand hit the body pain; The sun is scorching and the UV rays are so strong that bare skin has to be peeled in a few hours; Because of the dry climate, nosebleeds often come in unexpectedly.

  Zhao Zhaohua, Li Ya and other key members of the team are in the desert all year round, there are almost no holidays, and their bodies have suffered visible injuries. However, they have always firmly rooted in the experimental field, without half a point of complaint. Everyone said that we must use desert soil technology to make the desert sand covered with green, and then plants flourished!

  "The persistence and commitment paid off in the end." Peng Kai, leader of the team, said that the desert soil technology team of Chongqing Jiaotong University has successively obtained 18 authorized domestic invention patents and 8 international invention patents. Technology research and development and application achievements won 1 first prize of innovation achievement of China Association for the Promotion of Industry-University-Research Cooperation and 1 international "Fight for the Earth Award". "This is so far the most effective, water-saving, safe and environmentally friendly technology that can truly transform sand into 'soil' and make desertified land 'oasis' quickly realized on a large scale," Peng Kai said.

  Yi Zhijian said that China has 1.73 million square kilometers of sandy land, of which only 1% with "desert soil" technology transformation, will get 26 million acres of available land. He said that the project will have important strategic significance for China's desertification prevention, ecological civilization, green development, rural revitalization, food security, land use, ecological carbon sink and co-construction of the Belt and Road Initiative.

  Up to now, the "desert soil" technology of the desert soil technology team of Chongqing Jiaotong University has been applied in more than 30,000 mu under different site conditions at home and abroad, and the prevention and control of desertification has achieved obvious results.