BEIJING, May 21 (Xinhuanet) -- Makit county of Kashgar prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region becomes more green with the help of wind-proof and sand-fixing ecological forests.

Makit county, located on the edge of the Taklimakan Desert, is surrounded by sand on three sides.

With about 90 percent of its area desert, the county's environment was very fragile and people's lives were plagued by sandstorms.

In 2012, a government-led project was launched to plant forests, largely improving the ecological environment here.

After the project was implemented, the frequency of sandstorms in Makit dropped from more than 150 days in 2010 to less than 50 in 2018. Meanwhile, precipitation increased from just over 50 millimeters in 2010 to over 100 millimeters in 2018, according to local meteorological authorities.

In addition to combating desertification, the greening project has also contributed to improving people's living quality.

According to the local authority, about 270 villagers were hired as forest rangers, each earning a monthly salary of more than 4,000 yuan.

The project also provides people with opportunities to plant cistanche, a kind of traditional Chinese herb, significantly increasing villagers' income.