"Spring break" for vast grassland in north China

The vast grassland in Xilingol League, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, is set to enjoy a "spring break" as a temporary grazing ban takes effect Friday.

About 15 million hectares of grassland will enjoy a "break" for grass to grow. The ban will last at least 30 days, according to the local forestry and grassland bureau.

Authorities will subsidize local herdsmen during the period. A total of 86,500 herdsmen will receive 168 million yuan (about 24 million U.S. dollars) in subsidies.

The ban covers about 83 percent of the entire grassland in Xilingol League, which has rich biodiversity and serves as an important ecological barrier in northern China.

The league started implementing such temporary bans in 2018 to prevent over-grazing.