Pedor and his wife in their house in a relocation village built for former herdmen. (WANG JING/CHINA DAILY)
Restoring the ecosystem
In recent years, the county has undertaken anti-desertification measures on 280 sq km of land.
Since fishing was banned in Eling Lake, the biggest in Madoi, the water volume has risen and fish stocks have soared. The combined area of the Eling and Zhaling lakes has increased by more than 90 sq km since 2005.
The county government has hired more than 600 locals to act as eco-patrollers and guard against poaching and illegal fishing, and also to clear waste and litter.
Tugai, 46, and his team look after an area of 33 sq km. They patrol once a week and each trip takes two or three days, so they always carry tents and provisions. Although they usually ride motorcycles, the members often use horses to travel to the most remote spots.
Tugai used to be a herdsman on the reserve, but he and his wife, who has chronic pain in her joints, moved to the county town years ago. The couple receives a pasture subsidy of just 16,000 yuan a year, so Tugai was excited to hear that a new reserve－the Madoi National Park of the Yellow River Head－will be established in the county this year, because it will bring more government funding and improve the lives of the local residents.
