A midterm review meeting for the Chinese Academy of Engineering strategic consulting project titled “Strategic Research on Enhancing the Synergistic Functions of Forest ‘Four Reservoirs’” was held on March 21 at Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University. The project is led by the Institute of Applied Ecology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and brings together experts in forestry and ecology to examine integrated approaches to forest resource management.

The concept of the “four reservoirs” refers to the multiple roles forests play as carbon sinks, water conservation systems, food production bases, and sources of economic value. This framework has been increasingly discussed in China’s forestry and ecological research as a way to balance ecological protection with economic development. The project aims to explore how these functions can be jointly enhanced through integrated management.

The meeting was attended by academicians, researchers, and officials from research institutions and government departments. The expert advisory panel was led by ZHANG Shougong of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and included specialists from major universities and research institutes. Representatives from the Chinese Academy of Engineering and the project’s implementing institutions also participated, along with more than 40 members of the research team.

Project leader ZHU Jiaojun presented a midterm progress report outlining the scientific framework and overall objectives of the study. He explained that the project focuses on coordinated improvements across four key functions of forest ecosystems, summarized as carbon storage, water regulation, food provision, and economic benefits. Team members also reported progress on specific research areas, including carbon sequestration assessment, forest-based food production and water conservation, and the relationship between ecological resources and innovation-driven productivity.

After reviewing the reports, the expert panel acknowledged the project’s orderly progress and phased achievements, noting that it had addressed several key scientific questions. The experts also offered recommendations for the next stage, including further alignment with national strategic priorities, improved specification of research scales and core concepts, and increased emphasis on regional implementation and case studies. They said these efforts would help support the development of high-quality policy advisory outputs.

In concluding remarks, ZHANG Shougong encouraged the research team to deepen their analysis and maintain a strong strategic focus in order to complete the project at a high standard. ZHU Jiaojun expressed appreciation for the guidance provided by the experts and said the team would incorporate the recommendations into future work.

Following the meeting, participants conducted a field visit to a demonstration site for forest “four reservoirs” development in Yongtai County, Fujian Province, where they examined local practices related to understory economic activities.