Yin Yuzhen, a farmer and sand‑control worker, began planting trees in the Mu Ao desert after moving there post‑marriage, defying harsh winds and scarce water.
Sakolsky sent the money to Yin, who promised that she and her family would nurture the saplings; they met in 2000 and signed a pact for stewardship.
When Sakolsky returned in May 2026, he found the once‑barren dunes now a forest of mature trees, many over 30 feet tall; the local government honored him by naming a grove after him.
President Xi Jinping toasted the partnership at a Washington state dinner, and the story has trended on Chinese social media, with many users dubbing Sakolsky a "real friend of the Chinese people."
The forest sits within China’s Great Green Wall, a 1978 initiative that has mixed results; Judith Shapiro of American University praised its ambition but warned of water‑use concerns from early poplar plantings.
Sakolsky plans to galvanize global citizens to plant a tree, hoping the combined effort will mirror the desert’s transformation.