《查干诺尔传奇—一个老知青如何面对荒漠化》基本是对郑柏峪环境保护活动、查干诺尔治理经过和科学观点的总结和阐述。来自大城市的郑柏峪热爱草原和查干诺尔湖。他从对查干诺尔水源的探究中了解了浑善达克沙地和锡林郭勒草原。回到北京以后他依然对草原和查干诺尔湖爱恋，对日益恶化的草原十分忧虑。在机构改革后他提前退休，义无返顾的重回草原进行草原生态公益活动。在查干诺尔咸水湖干涸引起生态恶化以后，他和科学家一起探索治理办法。在找到成功的治理措施后，联络大企业进行查干诺尔治理项目，并成功治理了查干诺尔盐碱干湖盆。在查干诺尔治理中他遇到不少自然环境等方面的科学问题，他收集资料，钻研学习，在许多问题上提出了独到的见解。（The Tsagaannuur Legend: How a Former Sent-down Youth Fights Desertification is a summary and explanation of Zheng Boyu's environment protection activities, his efforts to combat Tsagaannuur desertification and scientific viewpoints. Though born in a city, Zhen Boyu is passionate about grasslands and the Tsagaannuur Lake. During investigation of the origin of Tsagaannuur Lake he learned more about the Hunshandake Desert and the Xilingol Grassland. After returning to Beijing his love for the landscape and concern for the environmental degradation remained. During the institutional restructuring he retired early to return and initiate grassland ecological protection activities. Facing the ecological deterioration after the Tsagaannuur dried up, he discussed with scientists until he finally found the solution. He contacted large companies for the Tsagaannuur environmental governance project which proved successful. He encountered many problems on nature and environment in the process, and was willing to collect materials and study them, and even offered some insights of his own.）