Nope, Beijing's not flirting anytime with the tree line... we're as sea-level as sea-level can be. (Of course, our neighbor, Tianjin, is really at sea-level, but I digress!)

If you've been driving around, walking around, or riding around, you'll notice that the lawns have something in them (or around them): sticks of wood. Nope, that's not a bad sign. The sticks of wood around them are supposed to support a big, fat green mian'ao or coat. That's the best defense for the grass against that Wunder im Weiss (wonder in white) -- snow. Expect all lawns (or a great many of them anyway) to be "clothed up" before the month is out. Brrr...

Meanwhile, you'll also be pleased to hear that afforestation is taking place at the Olympic Green. If you're seeing mobile mini-cranes, that's the afforestation taking place.

They did, after all, promise a "Green Olympics" back six years (and counting!) ago!