NANJING - Nine months after the people of Nanjing took to the streets to protect their beloved plane trees from removal for subway expansion, some trees are sporting colorful turtleneck sweaters.

Near Beiting Lane downtown, people put tube sweaters around the tree trunks to celebrate the new year. Altogether, 600 kilograms of yarn were hand-knit to make the sweaters for about 40 trees and columns.

Plane trees in Nanjing are looking warm, cozy and festive in their hand-knit "trunk cozies". The items mark some success in efforts to protect the trees from removal to give way for subway construction. You You / for China Daily

It was a "yarn-bombing" sponsored by ARS-Hechi Investment, a real estate company. "The trees look warm and joyful," spokeswoman Hua Sha said.

"We realize how people in Nanjing have deep emotions for the trees and decided to make a project of yarn-bombing - a popular artistic idea in the West - and dress up the trees," she said. "It brightens the landscape immediately, and brings up lots of emotional resonance among people."

In March, Nanjing changed its plans to move 600 plane trees to make way for new metro lines and stations. It also launched a system of "green assessment" when local people protested and called for protection of the century-old trees that line main streets.

Four assessment sessions have been held since and, although the city would not say exactly how many trees would be moved for urban construction, every public discussion managed to save some trees.

"At least the green assessment provided a public platform to discuss the issue," said Li Chunhua, a staff member with Green Stone Environmental Action Network in Nanjing. "People have much higher awareness for environmental protection since then. There has been more response to our initiatives."

Green Stone has started a new project, encouraging Nanjing residents to visit local rivers, write down what they see, smell and feel about the water quality, and report any problems they find to local administrating offices. For example, Li said, "We found a dock for chemical materials very close to the local water plant, and reported the potential risk to local drinking water."

Find the original story, published March 24, at Fate of Nanjing's trees.