Central Asian regions like China and Mongolia are at risk of desertification due to existing deserts and various contributing factors. During Mao Zedong’s leadership in the 1950s and 1960s, China undertook extensive tree planting initiatives to combat desertification. Poplar trees were a key component of these efforts due to their rapid growth and soil-stabilising properties.
The Great Leap Forward, driven by the insistence that "man must conquer nature", exemplifies the dialectical process of striving to achieve modern industrial goals. Both the realms of man and his counterpart, nature, are oppressed in this struggle, which is central to understanding modern historical development.
Once celebrated as a “hero tree” for its role in combating desertification and enhancing urban and public well-being, the poplar now poses challenges to its masters. Its cottony seeds, shed by female trees and dispersed by the wind during their reproductive season, create a snowpocalypse that clutters city environments. In response, the authorities in Beijing has implemented measures including the use of specialised equipment to collect and dispose of the seeds, as well as the introduction of contraceptive methods to prevent further seed production.