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Wrestling Mother Nature in Beijing

Posted: Monday, April 30, 2007 8:19 AM
Filed Under:

By Adrienne Mong, NBC News Producer

My nose started twitching even before I set foot outside the airport in Beijing.

While not quite hot, the air was thick.

Thick with white fluff the size of grapes.

"What is that?" I asked our driver, Mr.Guan, as he steered the car onto the highway.

Adrienne Mong / NBC News
Beijing in a spring haze.

"It's pollen. From those trees," he pointed to the rows of tall poplars lining either side of the road. "They're a problem. People feel worse because of it."

I started digging in my bag for antihistamines.

"This morning, I had to wipe the car off," he continued. "It covers everything and gives people all sorts of allergies."

Sex change for trees?
Guan isn't the only one fed up. This spring, Beijing's government has decided to try out "sex change operations" on the female species of poplars, in an effort to prevent them from producing pollen. More than 300,000 poplar trees grow in the capital.

The level of poplar pollen is especially high this season, worsening Beijing's air quality – already under assault from industrial pollution and sandstorms – and adding further grief to residents who suffer from allergies or asthma.

Adrienne Mong / NBC News
Some of Beijing's 300,000 poplar trees.

Local news reports this weekend said gardening experts successfully injected the first batch of female poplars – about 30,000. Officials agreed on this unusual experiment after concluding it was a better option than spraying chemicals or cutting the trees down.

China is no slouch when it comes to climate engineering. In fact, it seems determined to wrestle Mother Nature to the ground.

The government routinely seeds clouds to create rainfall, and earlier this month Chinese scientists claimed to have created artificial snow in northern Tibet for the first time, amid growing concerns over the Tibetan Plateau's melting glaciers.

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Comments

In my college town the local govt made a law that prohibited the planting of male cottonwood trees inside the city limits and it turned out to be a good idea. Thank God for CLARITIN (over-the-counter) allergy medicine, it's a life-saver! I don't know who invented it, but if it was a woman and she's cute, I'd kiss her! Everywhere!

HighTide McBride (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 10:22 AM)

lol people trying to control nature. "ohhh it annoys me, oohhh my allergies". Don't get me wrong, but I suck it up. I get hay fever every summer but you don't see me trying to burn the farmers feilds over it. Come on, if its one thing that I observed trying to control nature either fails, kills what ever you are trying to fix, or succeeds too well....look at the Australians and the cane toads! Sexing trees, what's next?!

Cats Meow, Spokane Wa (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 11:03 AM)

Very interesting, but misinformed. The male trees produce the pollen (sperm) and the female trees produce the ovule (egg) when fertizled by the sperm becomes the seed. So, if you inject the female to change to a male, you end up with more pollen. Another name for the poplar is cottonwood, so maybe what they are trying to do is stop the production of the billowy clouds of cottony seeds.

Roger Umber, Albuquerque, NM (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 11:25 AM)

Please note that pollen does not come from female flowers -- it comes from male flowers or the stamens (male parts) of unisex flower. The stuff you saw floating through the air was fertilized seeds from female flowers of the poplar trees. The seeds are surrounded by cottony fluff, to help them travel with air currents. Also, there are no "female species" of poplars -- "female" is a sex, not a species.

Jon Nicholson (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 11:31 AM)

There's something odd about this story. Pollen is the *male* product! Are they actually turning male trees into females, or is the "pollen" actually fluff from seed pods?

John Elson, Sacamento, CA (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 11:39 AM)

Interesting, considering that female trees do not produce pollen, only male trees do. They're probably talking about the catkins or flowers, which are usually large and are produced by the female trees. Another source I found on Google was using the terms catkin and pollen interchangably.

A Chavez, El Paso, TX (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 11:45 AM)

They tried to control nature when they chose to plant only male plants in the city...I'd assume to avoid the fruit? Oops! I don't believe you've thought your cunning plan all the way through!

Sean, Torrington CT (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 11:47 AM)

People have been selecting what kind of tree or other plant to plant -- by sex or other reasons for thousands of years. It's why we have many cultivated varieties. "Cats Meow" could take a lesson from some horticultural history. For many years, for example, people have chosen to plant male Ginkgo trees in public plantings because the females produce foul-smelling seed organs (not true fruits). By the way, the writer should do a little homework and use proper terminology. Female trees do not produce pollen; pollen is produced by male sex organs on the trees to pollinate female floral organs in the process that produces seed. The "fluff" is actually part of a seed dispersal mechanism and is part of the fruit, not pollen.

Z. B., Austin, TX (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 11:50 AM)

oh my goodness, changing the sex of trees. whats next?????

Lori, savannah,ga (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 11:58 AM)

Allergies and asthma are getting worse because of pollution so it makes sense to destroy the vegetation we are becoming allergic to. Right? Trees grow and drop leaves and attract birds so that anything under them will get leaves and bird dookey on them so all the thousands of acres of new parking lots made every year should be completely tree free. Right? And the list goes on of all the things we must continue to sacrafice in order to worship the golden calves.

cdugga shreveport la (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 12:12 PM)

I thought this article was going to be more interesting/amazing, like a human sex changes.

Matt Alszeik, Stanhope, NJ (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 12:13 PM)

GENETIC ENGINEERING of plants has been going on for a long time now, whether it be barley, corn, grapes, trees, etc. We humans have been trying to "control" nature since the beginning of time. The TREE-HUGGER in Washington should realize the value of applied knowledge!

HighTide McBride (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 12:19 PM)

It probably wasn't the pollen causing the author allergies in Beijing... it was more likely all that DAMN POLLUTION. They should rename it Smog City!

Micael Yu, San Fran (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 12:22 PM)

Some sientist think of a quick cure most dont think of the final conciquences its rush rush to find a quick cure so they skip the little things. mothernature didn't skip nothing. you change something other cascading events follow.

Kyle Knoll, bryan.ohio 43506 (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 12:35 PM)

Sitting here in my office in North Carolina, I just read your article about Mother Nature in Beijing. I am sorry to hear of the current tree - allergy problem in Beijing. I can sympathize because we are having a similar allergy situation here. On the positive side, looking at the photos, has been like a little vacation for me. Beijing often looks hazy especially in the mornings, just like your picture. And the streets lined with cottonwoods are so typical of the city. They were planted as the city began to rebuild and improve during the second half of the 20th century. I am reminded of visiting a friend who lives on a street which looks like your photo. As you can tell I think highly of Beijing and hope to return soon. There is much to admire in the spirit of the people who live there, and the amazing way of life they have created for themselves. They will manage the cottonwoods I am sure. Xiexie for the pleasant moment.

Patricia Clark, P. O. Box 823, Arden, N. C. 28704 (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 12:57 PM)

China continues to take steps that others are too conservative or religiously guilt-ridden to pioneer themselves. I respect their realism.

Cuerva, Denver, Colorado (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 12:58 PM)

"China is no slouch when it comes to climate engineering. In fact, it seems determined to wrestle Mother Nature to the ground." ???? Like we here in North America are entirely free of the blame...have you seen the smog over Houston lately? Or what we're doing to the enviornment in Alaska? Please, this sounds so jingoistic.

Aceman Jones, NY NY 11222 (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 1:09 PM)

I wonder if anyone thought that the high pollen count would be natures way of producing more trees to correct the poor air quality . Trees filter the air just like all the other plants in the world. I wonder if they thought about the gas, pollution, and chemicals they are using that destroy air quality. I take allergy shots twice a week and I hate to see the pollen , but I love to see the trees! I would never recomend changing sex, or destroying something that was put here to help us just because I have allergies. Shame on the selfish people of the world.

Tomay, Charlotte NC (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 1:13 PM)

I feel this is all very misguided. Why not work on preventing the pollution or maybe even improving the rural areas that have been so badly damaged that they have so much particulant matter in their sandstorms. If the Chinese actually respected nature vs trying to dominate it, their country wouldn't be in such poor shape. It's a few weeks of discomfort (I live with them to, so I know what it's like). I agree with CatMeow, a person should adapt to their environment, not force the environment to adapt to them.

Claire G. Northern Colorado (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 1:24 PM)

You can't control nature. It usually backfires or causes another problem. Nature is balanced for a reason. Man screws it up. Why don't they do somethng about their polution problem. fix existing problems instead of creating further ones.

Dawn (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 1:31 PM)

Nature is not a balanced system, that's just coincidental from our very short term perspective. When it finally tips back to an ice age or full blown into a high-heat epoch, whatever weather control skills we have learned will be put to good use just to keep us alive.

Dennis, Richmond Virginia (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 2:10 PM)

PERHAPS CHINA SHOULD STOP MANIPULATING MOTHER NATURE AND LEAVE THINGS ALONE. YOU WONDER WHY THERE IS SO MUCH DISEASE AND HEALTH ISSUES IN THAT PART OF THE WORLD.

Judy P (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 2:24 PM)

Does anyone see a problem with tinkering with Mother Nature - playing wiht clouds to make rain and attempting to create snow? Somehow that just seems like a bad idea.

Marci, Iowa (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 2:26 PM)

I think the Chinese environmentalists probably know the difference between pollen and pollinated seeds. The mistake was probably in the info handed down to the article's writer. As far as manipulating nature, we do it everyday. If you live and breath, you are changing the space around you. Even after you die, newpaper obituaties get printed up and a headstone is either manufactured or quarried for you. Everytime you eat, you are manipulating the cells and chemicals within your body. Sex changes within species occur throughout nature; that's not something out of the ordinary for nature. Some species are even asexual. Nature is changing in some parts of the world already as a result of pollution and global warming, there is no question about that. If things were not changed in nature, there would not have been any evolution. Think about it. The question is are changes being made for the better or worst? I don't like the concept of manipulation of nature either, but if people are having trouble breathing, obviously something should be done and since it would be almost impossible to do away with all of the cars and factories without putting everybody out of business, the next step would be to regulate the natural world. It isn't uncommon to regulate a species when it overpopulates any given area. Remember also that when there's too many of one species, things become imbalanced also. That being said I think its better to take each situation and examine it on an individual basis.

Don, Texas (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 2:43 PM)

how would YOU like to be that poor tree and have YOUR sex changed? don't let BUSH read this or he'll get scared and send over more troops!

Hillarious (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 2:52 PM)

So then, what about CHEMTRAILS? What about HAARP in Alaska?

Laurel Marshall (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 3:25 PM)

It is also very important to remember that the seeds really dont cause allergies!

James Albuquerque/San Diego (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 3:37 PM)

Each and every tree is born with a soul, just like people. From the moment of conception, that soul is a sacred being and deserves dignity and respect. When we tinker indiscriminately with God's Plan, by changing the sex of these trees, we alter God's intended Creation... and now the wrath of God may bring a tsunami or something over Beijing. Don't say I didn't warn ya.

here comes trouble (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 4:30 PM)

Hey, Hillarious: a tree DID try to grab me once and change my sex, but i didn't let it, and i told it, "and you can't change my sexual orientation either!"

That's funny (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 4:33 PM)

How dare those trees perform their natural procsess! What do they think they are living or something? Maybe the trees know something that the scientists do not? Perhaps because of the poor air quality that the Poplar trees have to deal with has put them into shock and this is their response. A struggle to reproduce and survive. Speaking of reproduction... China, unlike the USA and Europe do not have declining populations. However, in China, there is a preference for boys over girls, and we now have the technology to know which is which before they are born. In China, many families are aborting the girls. As a result, there are 70 million boys growing up in China who will never find wives. The birth rate in Russia is so low that by 2050 their population will be smaller than that of Yemen. Russia has one-sixth of the earth's land surface and much of its oil. You can't control that much area with such a small population. Immediately to the south, you have Oil Hungry China with 70 million unmarried men - a real potential nightmare scenario for Russia. And you all want to talk about Chinas allergies? WAKE UP!

P B (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 4:47 PM)

Seems to me, people try to do a quick fix on certain things without really looking at the big picture, or maybe they have and cleaning the air the right way cost too much.

Shanda Memhis, TN (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 4:51 PM)

If you don't eat meat or dairy products you won't get allergies. It's that simple.

Steve Stelle (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 4:55 PM)

trees have no clue what polution is in the air, they bloom and create pollen from the weather, temp, moisture, ect..

dodo charlotte nc (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 4:56 PM)

maybe china has a better solution.. taking the pollen out of trees, created artificialsnow.. we can refreeze the ice caps.. and create artifial trees.. still pretty to look at.. still look like trees.. still blow in the wind.. but all plastic.. sorry termites.. you're screwed.. but birds can still make their homes. perfect.. no pollen.. no allergies.. and the best of all... each tree has a built in solar powered o2 production, it takes co2 out of the air, and produces Oxygen.. andyes.. our trees will look horid for a while. big bulky.. and they will break down.. but that will create new jobs.. creating the trees, and an industry to fix the trees.. And we'll let the japanese make us better trees, smaller, that work better, and are more reliable.. and we will start buying japanese trees, instead of american trees.. I'll have Sony trees in my front yard.. andt then some cheaper made in taiwan trees in the back.. we can wireless internet all the trees so we can monitor their fuctioning from one location.

dodo, charlotte, nc (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 5:04 PM)

Journalists will be journalists: they confuse things from time to time. Male vs female... I mean, come on, trees don't have gonads! Where's my Quercetin?

Mayumi, San Francisco, CA (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 5:21 PM)

These are trees planted by man. Really, what does it matter if they force the trees to stop producing pollen?

Joe Mamma (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 5:47 PM)

I THINK IT'S ABOUT BEING COMFORTABLE WITH WHAT YOU HAVE. IT IS TOO LATE TO SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT. EVEN IF ALL THE CARS AND ALL INDUSTRIES STOPED EMMITING CO2, THE CLIMATE WILL CHANGE, FOR THE WORSE, THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO IN ORDER TO STOP THE POLAR BEARS AND HUDREDS OF OTHER ANIMALS AND PLANTS FROM DYING OFF. BEIJING IS NOT HARMING THE ENVIRONMENT MORE THAN YOU ARE BY TURNING ON YOUR CAR. ELECTRIC CARS, GREEN BUILDINGS, ETC. NOTHING WILL WORK IT IS TOO LATE. OCEANS WILL SWELL AND COASTLINES WILL VANISH. LETS LEARN TO LIVE A LITTLE CLOSER TO ONE ANOTHER, THAT IS THE ONLY SOLUTION.

JOE, LAREDO, TEXAS. (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 5:53 PM)

Dear Adrienne, I live in Georgia and when Spring comes so does the pollen. I can sympathize with wiping off ones car to get rid of the yellow pollen. I wonder if that injection would work on the trees here in our state. It would make alot of people I know very happy if it made them feel better.

Lisa McNeil,Alpharetta,Georgia (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 5:54 PM)

The Chinese, like most people, aren't thinking through the consequences of their actions. They need to read "Unintended Consequences" by John Ross (note that there are several books by that title, be sure to get the one by Mr. Ross).

Mikey (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 6:03 PM)

Instead of worrying about new technology, why not use what we already have. Decide which sex of tree is causing the problem (I leave that to the experts) and do a sex change. In human terms, they would either be homosexual or lesbien. I don't think there would be any more trees started, so we would just clone whatever replacements required. This should also create thousands of new jobs for lawyers,politicians, and tree doctors. If there is a problem here that I have overlooked, we could resort to stemcells.

Bob Linden Alberta Canada (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 9:51 PM)

Poor planning buy city officals doesn't justify the science they are trying to use. Accepting the fact that they made an error in tree choice, and seek a solution such as replanting would make more sense than altering mother mature.

Special Ed/ rural missouri (Sent Monday, April 30, 2007 10:30 PM)

It sounds like they are going to have a bunch of transvestite trees. That Fred Phelps can Pickett. lol lol

Regina Brokmann, Topeka, Ks (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 12:13 AM)

And maybe Don, Texas ought to think seriously about de-sexing humanity. What a novel idea when it comes to overpopulation control!

Rich Chapman (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 12:40 AM)

Beijing is a big city, I've been there for several times and I trully believe and trust the chinese government's efforts to make the capital cleaner. Good luck Beijing.

rad (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 7:02 AM)

I agree with Don in Texas; those trees were not a natural occurance in the first place. They were purposefully planted. And for those who say allergy/asthma sufferers should just 'suck it up' may I remind you that many die each year from allergy induced asthma and related disorders. It's not a matter of of taking a Clariton and dealing with it. For many the problem is life threatening. I doubt that the original gardners who 'artificially' created the unusually high concentration of this particular tree thought about that when they interfered with the process in the first place. If they can correct their error now, they should.

KAS, Decatur, TX (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 7:54 AM)

Instead of fighting Mother Nature, why not mimic her and clean the pollen out of indoor spaces using the same methods as those seen in a thunderstorm to clean the air. If you are truly interested in helping people, contact us by visiting our site listed below and filling out your information.

Jim Everett, Columbia, Missouri (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 8:56 AM)

Oh so very true PB!

Civil Nut, Gettysburg, PA (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 9:10 AM)

I think that this whole idea is absolutely ridiculous. Mother Nature will do what she will. Let's not manipulate it anymore. If/when we have another ice age, it was meant to happen. If Mother Nature wipes us all out, it's only because we brought it on ourselves. However, if we start getting into that, it could go on for hours. If anyone has read the Earth's Children series by Jean M. Auel, you may agree with me with the thinking that things were better in prehistory, before our advanced technology even came into the picture. They respected the planet and everything on it, even rocks. That's how it should be!

Heather, Cripple Creek, Colorado (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 1:31 PM)

I grew up in China and have no confidence in the government when they try to manipulate the nature. They did that very often even since Mao Zedong came to power; but they have a very bad tract record and the consequences have mostly been disastrous. I suspect the motive behind this tree operation is not to improve the well being of the citizens but simply to make the 2008 Olympic Games "successful". In other words, it's a political decision like many others that the government have done in the past to manipulate the nature.

Pan, New Jersey (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 4:39 PM)

The pollution and the things Al Gore on the golbal warming is worse because of the free trade. The businesses in the USA leave and go to other countrys where there is no EPA or anything like it. Where theres cheap labor and no reguard for anything other than a profit

wm aurand (Sent Tuesday, May 01, 2007 4:50 PM)



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