South Korean Groups Planted Trees to Curb Sandstorms
Organizations reforested 100 hectares in Mongolia to combat desertification and reduce regional yellow dust.
Updated on Sept. 28, 2026 in Environmental
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South Korean organizations have planted 70,000 trees in Bayankhongor, Mongolia, since 2022 to mitigate rapid desertification. The project aims to reduce the impact of yellow dust storms that frequently travel from the Gobi Desert to South Korea.
Why it matters
Tree planting serves as a strategic effort to combat climate change, which has caused Mongolia's average annual temperature to rise by 2.5 degrees Celsius since 1941. These environmental initiatives are essential to addressing the loss of natural resources, including over 1,100 lakes that disappeared between 1990 and 2020.
Organizations have reforested 100 hectares in Bayankhongor since 2022 to address a landscape where only 18% of land remains unaffected by desertification. These efforts support a national goal to plant 1 billion trees by 2030.
The players
Green Asia
This environmental organization has been active in Mongolia since 2000 and has facilitated the planting of 1 million trees across 10 regions.
Mongolian Government
The national authority is currently overseeing a large-scale project to plant 1 billion trees by 2030 to mitigate desertification.
The details
To ensure sustainability, project organizers provide payments to local residents who actively maintain the trees and educate them on effective forest management. The initiative is funded by savings generated through the adoption of paperless receipts at participating South Korean convenience stores.
Timeline
1941-2025: Mongolia's average annual temperature rose by 2.5 degrees Celsius.
2000: Green Asia launched its long-term tree-planting project in Mongolia.
2022: Tree-planting efforts began in Bayankhongor.
2024: Mongolia experienced the loss of 7.4 million livestock.
2030: The Mongolian government aims to complete its 1 billion tree-planting project.
Deeper Dive
This local tree-planting effort follows a pattern set by the 2030 National Billion Trees Project.
Increased reforestation could lead to a tangible reduction in yellow dust air quality alerts for residents across Northeast Asia. Long-term success in these regions may also improve agricultural stability by preserving topsoil and water sources.
The takeaway
Reforestation projects are vital tools for addressing rapid land degradation and its impact on regional climate stability. Implementing local stewardship programs provides a sustainable model for maintaining new forests in arid environments.
Further reading
Learn more about global conservation efforts in the Environmental section.
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Do you believe international tree-planting projects are an effective way to combat desertification?
