LHASA — On the winding mountain paths, Liu Liping, from the Plateau Walnut Industry Research Institute of Yangtze University in Jingzhou city, Hubei province, swiftly removed a label from her coat and carefully attached it to a newly grafted walnut branch.

Upon her arrival in Gyatsa county in Lhokha city, Xizang autonomous region, in early 2020, she was astonished by the ancient walnut trees scattered throughout the area. These millennia-old trees, totaling a remarkable 3,657, formed a unique ancient walnut grove on the plateau.

The history of walnut cultivation in Gyatsa dates back over 1,000 years. However, despite this rich history, local villagers have long struggled with the absence of scientific cultivation techniques and efficient production methods.

In the past, villagers didn't know how to plant walnut trees properly. "We crammed hundreds of trees into a narrow space, making it impossible even to walk through. The walnut trees grew thin and small, and the nuts were unusable," said Qi Lyu, Party branch secretary of a local village.

"Without those trees, the riverbanks were just barren land, easily buried by sand when strong winds blew," Qi said.

In March 2021, Central China's Hubei launched its 2021-2025 science and technology pairing assistance program with Xizang. Liu joined the assistance talent team, where she devoted herself to local walnut variety selection, breeding, and cultivation management.

Liu visited all 27 walnut-growing villages in Gyatsa. "The villagers initially didn't understand the purpose of our work and were annoyed by our repeated visits," she said.

Goksang, a resident whose family has tended an ancient walnut tree, said: "Now we welcome her visits. She taught us grafting and cultivation techniques. The grafted walnut trees produce excellent fruit with high yields."

The county's walnut cultivation has expanded to 520,000 trees across 3,000 hectares, with an annual output of 1,200 metric tons and a total output value exceeding 80 million yuan ($11.2 million).

Six superior walnut trees have been successfully selected, and a 67-hectare high-quality walnut cultivation demonstration base has been established in Gyatsa. Since 2021, over 100,000 walnut trees have been planted along the Yarlung Zangbo River as part of the local ecological corridor project. This project has not only helped stabilize the soil and prevented sandstorms, but also created new income streams for residents, thus achieving both positive ecological and economic objectives.

Over 500 villagers, including many farmers, have participated in grafting training sessions, said Zhang Rongceng, a young grassroots official who has been working in Gyatsa since 2022.

Beyond supplying local afforestation and agricultural development, Gyatsa's walnut saplings are also used in the largest afforestation project in Lhasa, Xizang's regional capital. The project has completed nearly 47,000 hectares of afforestation since 2022, with an overall survival rate of around 85 percent.

Kan Simeng is in charge of an afforestation area of over 267 hectares, situated at an altitude of over 3,700 meters. He traveled 200 kilometers to Gyatsa, where he discovered walnut seedlings that are ideally suited for high-altitude planting.

"These saplings have a high survival rate, and their robust root systems also effectively stabilize soil and prevent erosion," Kan said. Walnut trees have since blanketed the mountains near Lhasa.

Xinhua