The Three-North Afforestation Program (TNAP), initiated in 1978 and scheduled to be completed in 2050, is the world's largest afforestation project and covers 4.07 x 10 6 km 2 (42.4%) of China. We systematically assessed goals and outcomes of the first 30 years of the TNAP using high-resolution remote sensing and ground survey data.With the 30-year net reduction was 13.0% (4.05×10 6 ha), with 8.0% being accounted for by afforestation in areas with only slight, prior desertification. In addition to its direct impacts, the TNAP has enhanced people's awareness of environmental protection and attracted consistent attention and long-term commitment from the Chinese government to the restoration and protection of fragile ecosystems in the vast ThreeNorth region. The significant decline in forest quality, limited success in reducing desertification, and low coverage of shelterbelts are aspects of the TNAP in need of re-assessment, and additional ca. 34 billion dollars will be needed to ensure the completion of the TNAP.
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