As summer temperatures rise across China, meteorologists have advised the public to avoid exposure to the afternoon sun due to risks of sunburn and heatstroke. Despite these warnings, some residents continue to take regular outdoor walks, benefiting from the extensive tree coverage in urban areas.

A retired Beijing resident shared his experience of maintaining a daily walking routine, citing the ample shade provided by trees lining the streets around his apartment complex. The four roads bordering his community, totaling roughly 1,000 meters in length, feature a variety of trees including paulownia, locust, lilac, cherry, and crab apple. This tree canopy offers respite from the heat, making afternoon walks more comfortable even during hot summer days.

Urban tree planting has become a significant focus for municipal planners throughout China. Historically, widespread deforestation and overuse of wood and grass as fuel or animal feed contributed to environmental degradation, particularly in northern China. By the 1970s, desertification had intensified, resulting in frequent sandstorms—some years experiencing over a dozen events.

In response, the Chinese central government launched the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program (Sanbei Gongcheng) in 1978. This long-term initiative, covering nearly 47 percent of the country's land area in northeastern, northern, and northwestern regions, aims to combat desertification by expanding forest cover. Over more than four decades, the project has increased forested areas from 5 percent to approximately 14 percent, and is slated to continue through 2050.

The program's impact is reflected in reduced sandstorm frequency around Beijing, which now experiences only two to three annually, compared with over a dozen three decades ago. Some recent sandstorms affecting northern China have reportedly originated from neighboring countries rather than domestic sources.

Beyond central government efforts, local authorities actively engage in planting and maintaining urban greenery. Sidewalks are widely used for tree planting in Chinese cities, contributing to substantial urban canopy coverage. Available figures indicate that Beijing’s forest coverage reached 44.95 percent in 2024, significantly surpassing that of cities like New York, which had an estimated tree canopy of 23.4 percent as of 2021.

Maintenance activities support these urban forests, with regular watering, pruning, protective measures against harsh winters, and sidewalk repairs to address root-induced pavement damage. These ongoing investments enhance the quality of urban living environments, enabling residents to enjoy outdoor activities even in challenging weather conditions.

While such initiatives may not yield immediate political gains, the long-term impact of improved urban green spaces is evident in the enhanced well-being of city inhabitants and the mitigation of environmental hazards.