Abstract:Cele Desert Research Station is located in the southern rim of Takelimagan Desert of Xinjiang, China. The fragile ecological environment and frequent sand storms in the area have seriously affected the livelihood, and restricted the economic and social development of the region. In the early 1980s, the frontier of the desert was only 1.5 km away from the town of Cele. Under this very urgent situation of “The sand at the gates”, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences (the former of Xinjiang Desert Institute of Biological and Soil, Chinese Academy of Sciences) established Cele Desert Research Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences (hereinafter referred to as “Cele Station”). Researchers came to Cele, and started desertification prevention and control work. Since its establishment, Cele Station has accomplished a series of research and development achievements through longterm monitoring, research, experiments, and demonstration, focusing on the key scientific and technological issues urgently needed by regional fragile ecological environment management, and farmers and herdsmen to overcome poverty and increase their income. In terms of theoretical research, stress response mechanisms and adaptation strategies of dominant plants species in extreme arid regions were systematically expounded. In terms of technology research, development, application, and promotion, Cele Station has constructed the quick sand control model, put forward the technical system of restoring Tamarix chinensis vegetation in flood diversion irrigation, and remove the threat of quick sand invasion to Cele County. The technology has been widely applied in central Asia and Africa. The planting mode of high and stable yield of cotton and the technical system of inoculation of Cistanche were put forward. These practices have gained great economic and social benefits in Xinjiang. A technical system for optimizing the utilization of regional water resources has been established and popularized in Southern Xinjiang. Cele Station has become an important platform of scientific and technological research and development, and an experimental demonstration base, and has made important contributions to regional ecological environment construction, economic and social development.