"There was only one willow tree left when the mine was active, but now, the valley is blanketed with natural greenery," said Wang Zhenhua, general manager of the former Caojiafang quarry.

Barton cited an ancient Chinese poem to describe the relationship after Meng's case: "There are high mountains, wilding rivers and you can lose (your way), but in the shade of the willow tree, you can see the bright flowers and villages on the horizon.

The local government encourages farmers in its 28 townships to develop wickerwork weaved with leaves of cattail, willow and mulberry strips, which is considered a value-added business.