She spent more than 40 years turning shifting sands into green landscapes. 

Now, Chinese environmental pioneer Yin Yuzhen is receiving international recognition — alongside an American friend who helped her dream take shape. 

Yin has dedicated decades to fighting desertification in the Maowusu Sandy Land in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Through years of persistent tree planting, she and her family have transformed once-barren stretches of land into a greener landscape.

Yin has been named one of the FAO's 100 Women Heroes in Agrifood Systems and Rural Development, a global initiative by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization honoring women's contributions to agrifood systems and rural development.