In the
Liao (907–1125) and
Jin dynasties (1115–1234), Saihanba was a hunting-field for the imperial household. In 1681,
Kangxi Emperor (1654–1722) set the Mulan Paddock (; ) in the area. In 1863, the
Qing government allows farmers to reclaim land here,
forests and
wetlands were beginning to disappear. Saihanba became a barren
desert. Then
sandstorms plague
Beijing,
Tianjin and other
northern China cities. In 1962, in order to put an end to the sandstorms, the
State Forestry Administration set the Saihanba Mechanical Forest Farm here. Then the first generation of tree-planters came here, they tried to green the barren desert and turn it into an
oasis. In May 1993, it was designated as a "National Forest Park". In 2000, it has been categorized as a
5A level tourist site by the
China National Tourism Administration. In May 2007, the park was rated as a "National Nature Reserves" by the
State Council of China. On December 5, 2017, the Saihanba Afforestation Community won the honor of
Champions of the Earth in the category of Inspiration and Action due to its efforts to transform degraded land into a lush paradise, the highest environmental honor provided by the
United Nations Environment Programme. ==Geography==