On June 8-9, 2023, a team of experts from various institutions visited the Qingyuan Forest Ecosystem National Field Observation and Research Station (Qingyuan Forest Station) to review the progress and achievements of a program that aims to develop a comprehensive assessment system for regional ecological protection using data from ecosystem observation stations across China.

The program is part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences' (CAS) A-class Strategic Priority Research Program on Earth Big Data Science, and is hosted by the Institute of Applied Ecology (IAE) of CAS.

The review meeting was chaired by Professor HE Hongshi from Northeast Normal University, and attended by ZHU Jiaojun, director of IAE, other researchers of the program, and review experts from Beijing Normal University, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Northeastern University, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research of CAS, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology of CAS, and IAE.

At the meeting, ZHU Jiaojun gave an overview of the subprogram, and GAO Tian reported on the assessment indicators, research progress, achievements, archives, and financial management of the program. The principal investigators (PIs) of each research topic of the program also presented their respective research results and challenges. The experts praised the program for its good progress and completion of all the assessment indicators. They also offered some suggestions for improving the quality and impact of the research outputs, and preparing for the final evaluation and acceptance of the program.

After the meeting, the participants toured the data center of Qingyuan Forest Station and inspected some scientific research platforms and observation sites. They learned about the history, mission, and facilities of Qingyuan Forest Station, as well as some ongoing research projects and experiments.