Scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have launched a major project to combat desertification in the southern edge of the Horqin Sandy Land, one of the largest sandlands in China. The project aims to support the national campaign to eradicate the Horqin and Hunshandake sandy lands, which are key ecological barriers for northern and northeastern China.

On October 10th, 2023, Shandong Xianglong Group (also known as Shikefeng) Limited commemorated its 30th anniversary with a grand celebration and the Soil Health and Food Security Forum. Esteemed researchers Dr. WU Zhijie and Dr. SHI Yuanliang, from the Institute of Applied Ecology (IAE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, were invited to participate in this momentous occasion.

From September 14th to 16th, several Chinese media outlets, including Xinhua News Agency, Guangming Daily, China Net, China Science Daily, China News Service, and Pengpai News, visited the Changbai Mountains Forest Ecosystem National Field Observation and Research Station (referred to as the Changbai Mountains Station).

The Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology recently unveiled the results of the 2023 National Key Research and Development Program’s special initiative on S&T Innovation for Black Soil Conservation and Utilization. The Institute of Applied Ecology (IAE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) achieved commendable success, getting approval for four national key R&D projects: three conventional projects and one youth project.

From October 10th to 12th, the 2023 National Key Research and Development Program conference on Mechanisms of Typical Artificial Forest Ecosystems’ Adaptation to Global Change convened in Qingyuan, Liaoning Province. Hosted by the Institute of Applied Ecology (IAE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), this event was held at the Qingyuan Forest Ecosystem National Field Observation and Research Station (Qingyuan Station), with Dr. ZHUO Junchen, Deputy Director of IAE, presiding.

On September 2 and 3, 2023, two experts (ZHANG Yuanming, director of the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and SONG Xiaodong, a professor from the Liaoning Provincial Academy of Agricultural Sciences) visited Qingyuan County, Liaoning Province, to supervise and inspect the demonstration areas of a National Key Research and Development Project on improving the ecological products supply capacity of forests in Northeast China. The project is led by Professor HE Xingyuan, who also participated in the inspection along with other key members.

The national botanical garden system is a network of ex-situ plant conservation sites at the national level. According to the State Council’s approval document, Shenyang National Botanical Garden (SNBG) has been included in the national botanical garden system’s layout plan, representing the typical botanical garden in the region of Northeast China. On September 1, 2023, a meeting for setting up the SNBG was held in Shenyang City. It was co-organized by the Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Liaoning Province, the People’s Government of Shenyang Municipality, and the Institute of Applied Ecology (IAE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

Scientists from China and many other countries and regions have gathered in Shenyang to exchange insights in shelterbelt science, a field that studies forest ecosystems that protect the environment from degradation and disasters. The International Symposium on Shelterbelt Science 2023 ended on August 15, 2023, which also coincided with the first “National Ecological Day” in China.

More than 300 scientists from across China have attended a training session on flux observation theory and technology in Shenyang from August 16 to 19, 2023.

The book, titled “Ecology of Protective Forests”, is authored by ZHU Jiajun, a researcher at the Institute of Applied Ecology (IAE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). It passed the evaluation of the 2022 textbook project of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS) and was selected as part of its graduate textbook series.