Russian poplar trees (also known as Populus deltoides or Eastern cottonwood) were introduced to Kashmir in the 1980s, primarily by the Jammu and Kashmir government with support from the World Bank under a social forestry programme. The goal was to promote fast-growing trees for timber, matchsticks, and plywood industries, and to reduce pressure on natural forests. These trees were called “Russian poplars” locally, although they are not originally from Russia. The name likely comes from their ass