Amudun Abudu makes a pen holder in Lop Nur People Village in Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, June 21, 2019. Lop Nur People Village is located in Yuli County, where Tarim River flows through the deserts with populus euphratica forests' reflection on the shimmering waves. Amudun Abudu, a 61-year old typical Lop Nur villager, works in local tourism industry. With the changes of the times, many Lop Nur people have various options for a living, yet he insists on the tradition of fishing in rivers and lakes. Not only does he make delicious roast fish, Amudun also makes canoe models and pen holders made of populus euphratica trees for tourists during the tourist rush season. Like other local villagers, Amudun Abudu's life benefits from the improvement of the environment. Since the initiation of management of Tarim waters, the silted up river bed has been filled with water again. Along the river bank, populus euphratica forests were brought back to life again. Meanwhile, the improvement of infrastructure leads to the increase of visiting tourists. By the end of July, Yuli County has welcomed 780,000 arrivals and received over 110 million yuan (around 15.58 million U.S. dollars) in tourist revenue, up 63.14% and 119.42% on a year-on-year basis. (Xinhua/Zhao Ge)
