China's National Innovation Alliance for Grassland Protection and Restoration in Agro-Pastoral Ecotones has elected a new leadership team. The Alliance, a consortium of research, academic, and government bodies, aims to revitalize grasslands and promote sustainable development within these crucial ecological transition zones between grassland and farmland.

The organization held its annual conference and leadership elections on July 6th at the Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Research Station in Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia. Over 80 delegates from across China attended the event, which was hosted by the Institute of Applied Ecology (IAE), Chinese Academy of Sciences.

FANG Yunting, deputy director of IAE, delivered a welcome speech at the opening ceremony of the event. WANG Zhengwen, a senior researcher from IAE, has been elected as the new chairman of the Alliance. The newly elected leadership team outlined a four-pronged approach to grassland sustainable development, including:

• Grassland restoration: Implementing measures to      restore degraded grasslands.
• Artificial grassland establishment:  Developing and managing artificial grasslands.
• Agro-pastoral coupling system: Researching techniques for ntegrating agriculture and pastoralism.
• Integrated agro-forestry-pastoral-tourism development: Promoting the development of integrated industries.

The Alliance also plans to strengthen cooperation with domestic and international partners, focus on major research projects, and enhance talent development and public outreach.

The election of a new leadership team marks a new chapter for the Alliance, as it seeks to address the challenges facing China's grasslands, including climate change, overgrazing, and habitat loss.