Saxaul (Gobi)
PROGRAMME · GOBI DESERT EDGE
Cluster-planted saxaul shrubs at the leading edge of the Gobi — the only species adapted to <100mm rainfall, with deep tap roots that anchor shifting sand and slow desertification.
Why this programme exists
The Gobi expands an estimated 3,600 km² per year (UNCCD). Conventional tree species cannot survive its <100mm annual rainfall. Saxaul evolved here: deep tap root, lateral root mat, fleshy stems that store water. Planting saxaul along the leading edge of the desert physically anchors sand dunes and slows expansion — there is no substitute species for this ecological niche.
How it works
- 1
Locate moving sand fronts
Survey shifting dune fronts at the leading edge of the Gobi using NASA MODIS imagery, ground-truth with local herders. Plant where movement is active, not where the desert is stable.
- 2
Cluster plantings
10 saxaul per cluster, 5m within-cluster spacing. Clusters spaced 20m apart. This pattern out-performs straight rows by 3-4× survival in Gobi conditions.
- 3
Hand-planted with windbreak fencing
Mechanised planting fails on shifting sand. Hand-dug planting holes, protective windbreak fencing for the first 2 years.
- 4
Conservative watering
Year 1 watering only if rainfall <50mm — over-watering creates dependence. Year 2-3 fully rain-fed.
- 5
Y3 survival + dune-movement audit
Survival audit plus dune-front position survey to confirm the saxaul has actually halted sand advance, not just lived.
Where we plant
- Gobi-Altai
- Bayankhongor
- Dundgovi
- Dornogovi
- Ömnögovi
Measured impact
- Saxaul / ha planted
- ~600 shrubs
- Sand anchoring
- ~0.6 ha stabilised / 1 ha planted
- Tap root depth
- 5-7 m (deeper than any local species)