China began planting millions of trees in 1978: five decades later, the ‘Great Green Wall’ is consuming natural forests

China’s ‘Great Green Wall’ has succeeded in slowing the expansion of deserts such as the Gobi and the Taklamakan, but it has also created an unexpected public health problem after triggering a surge in allergies among nearby residents.

The project began in 1978 and has involved planting more than 66 billion trees. Stretching some 2,800 miles, this protective barrier against sandstorms has restored more than 58,000 square miles of forest at a cost of billions of dollars.

It absorbed 5% of China’s CO₂ emissions

Among the project’s biggest achievements is a 70% reduction in the frequency of sandstorms. It also absorbed an estimated 5% of China’s carbon dioxide emissions between 1978 and 2017.

As Yuhang Luo, a landscape ecologist and lead author of the first study to examine the issue, told Live Science, the planted forests increased their leaf area 66% faster than naturally regenerated forests.

“Forest plantations are widely used in climate change mitigation strategies, but most global ecosystem models do not distinguish between forest types or adequately represent age-related dynamics,” Luo explained.

Hay fever and asthma

However, communities living near the man-made forest are now experiencing the unintended consequences of this massive reforestation effort, with allergy cases rising because of species such as Artemisia, one of the plants selected for the environmental project.

The pollen produced by this fast-growing plant contains five volatile compounds capable of triggering severe allergic reactions. The resulting health problems include hay fever and bronchial asthma.

Nor is Artemisia the only culprit. The Green Wall also includes willows and poplars, meaning people living nearby are estimated to be twice as likely to develop allergies.

In response to the growing health concerns, the Chinese government has already allocated around $875 million to replace the most problematic species with plum and ginkgo trees. It is also applying plant hormones to help reduce the production of allergy-causing pollen.

Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.

And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.