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CHUSHUL VILLAGE, India – As he watches his neighbors watering the tens of thousands of tree saplings they planted in their Himalayan village a few months ago, Gyan Thinlay is excited about turning this patch of bare desert into a lush habitat for insects and birds.

Chushul village sits more than 4,200 meters above sea level in the Ladakh region, a cold desert between India and China where less than 10 centimeters of annual rainfall and extreme seasonal temperature swings make it difficult for much to grow.

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