In the arid expanse of the Gobi Desert, a group of dedicated young volunteers is combating desertification by planting trees and reclaiming barren land. Among them is 20-year-old Lee Ting-Hsuan from Taiwan, who is experiencing the challenging yet rewarding task of afforestation in Northwest China for the first time. Lee, a student at Peking University, is part of a broader initiative in Minqin county, Gansu province, where volunteers have been working tirelessly for over 70 years to transform desertified areas into green landscapes. The program, initiated in 2007 by local resident Ma Junhe, has attracted more than 80,000 participants who have collectively restored approximately 5,667 hectares of desert. Volunteers, including Lee, plant drought-resistant suosuo trees and construct clay sand barriers to stabilize dunes. The initiative not only benefits the environment but also provides economic opportunities for local communities. Lee’s participation highlights the growing interest among young people in meaningful public welfare activities, as she and other volunteers document their efforts on social media to inspire broader participation. The program’s success is evident in the reduction of desertified land in Minqin, contributing to ecological stability and preventing sandstorms from reaching as far as Beijing. Around 20 young volunteers from Macao also joined the effort, led by Su Kun, a member of the Gansu Provincial Committee of the CPPCC. Su emphasized the importance of firsthand experience in understanding the region’s challenges and cultural diversity. Lee’s journey underscores the younger generation’s commitment to ecological protection and the national priority of tree planting in China, which saw 4.45 million hectares of forests planted in 2024.