These two images have not been photo-shopped, but are side-by-side shots of the same landscape.
This change is the result of 15 years of careful and consistent vegetation restoration.
For centuries, the Loess Plateau in northern China has been denuded of vegetation by over farming and grazing and was known as one of the most eroded and poverty stricken areas of the world.
In 1995, John Liu began documenting a massive natural vegetation restoration program on 2.23 million acres of the Loess Plateau.
After the first 15 years, 2.5 million chinese have risen above the poverty level and farmer incomes have tripled.
Liu then documented this same kind of
transformation in Ethiopia and Rwanda.
Our intent at Monticello College is to affect a similar transformation on our 82-acre campus. We are currently in the planning stages and will begin implementation in 2019. For more information contact Mr. Joshua Choate – Director of Living Campus Operations at: joshua.choate@gmail.com.
Click here to watch John Liu’s fascinating 29-minute video.