TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Taiwanese non-profit organization Tse-Xin Organic Agricultural Foundation (TOAF) is lending a hand in Mongolia as it aims to address the problem of desertification. TOAF has helped establish a tree-farming operation near the country’s capital.

At a ceremony for the tree-planting campaign, the Taiwan Representative in Mongolia, Grace Chin-ru Lo (羅靜如), and TOAF representatives met with the Deputy Mayor of Ulaanbaatar Tomortamoo and representatives of local volunteer organizations on Thursday (Aug. 25). TOAF provided 280 tree-planting kits at the event, which they say are a symbol of a green future in Mongolia.

According to a press release from TOAF, the group’s work in Mongolia is in response to President Khürelsükh’s “One Billion Trees” national movement, which aims to plant one billion trees across the country by the year 2030. The campaign also represents the government’s commitment to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals for the 21st century.

TOAF Tree-planting Director Cheng Li-yi (程禮怡), led the TOAF delegation to Mongolia. Their goal is to assist local groups with establishing a seven hectare tree farm outside of Ulaanbataar, which will raise saplings, that will then be planted all over the country over the next decade.

To comply with Mongolian regulations, the group helped found a local non-profit organization to oversee the management of the tree farm operation. So far, they have successfully installed wells, irrigation pipelines, water towers, as well as yurts and other structures to manage the operation.

So far, the farm operation has successfully grown 1,100 sea buckthorn trees and 300 Siberian elm saplings. Over the next two years, TOAF hopes to expand the operation to the size of 10 football fields, which will include a special nursery area to test new species in the Mongolian climate, as well as an education center and demonstration area to teach visitors about different tree planting techniques.