On July 29, 2023, the opening ceremony of the 8th China Forestry Academic Conference was held in NEFU. Nearly 4,000 national forestry and grassland experts and scholars, focusing on the theme of Forestry and Grassland Science and Technology Innovation in Chinese-style Modernization, carried out comprehensive and thematic academic exchanges around the innovation-driven development strategy and modernization of forestry and grassland construction, so as to gather wisdom and strength for the construction of ecological civilization and a beautiful China.

The conference was co-sponsored by the Society of Forestry of China and Northeast Forestry University, and co-organized by the Secretariat of the Society of Forestry of China, the Heilongjiang Forestry and Grassland Bureau, and the Society of Forestry of Heilongjiang Province.

Zhao Shucong, president of the Chinese Society of Forestry and former director of the State Forestry Administration, Tan Guangming, member of the party group and deputy director of the State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Han Shengjian, vice governor of the Heilongjiang Provincial People’s Government, and Song Wenlong, president of the university, attended the conference and delivered speeches.

The opening ceremony of the conference was attended by representatives of scientific and technical professionals, teachers and students from the National Greening Committee, the relevant departments and bureaus of the State Forestry and Grassland Administration and the units directly under them, the forestry research, teaching and management departments of Heilongjiang Province, the forestry and forestry-related universities and colleges, such as Beijing Forestry University, Northeast Forestry University, Nanjing Forestry University, Central South Forestry University of Science and Technology, Southwest Forestry University, Northwest University of Agriculture and Forestry, as well as the forestry and grassland authorities, the forestry and grassland and the relevant scientific research units, and the forestry and grassland production and management units across the country.

The opening ceremony of the conference was presided over by Wen Shifeng, Secretary General of the Society of Forestry of China. He pointed out that the Forestry Academic Conference was the academic event with the largest number of participants, the highest level and the widest influence in China’s forestry and grassland industry. The conference aims to promote academic exchanges on forestry and grassland, show the achievements of discipline construction, and improve the level of scientific and technological innovation on forestry and grassland.

On behalf of all the teachers and students of NEFU, President Song Wenlong extended a warm welcome to all the leaders, experts and representatives who came to the conference. He pointed out that as a national Double First-class construction university, Northeast Forestry University would be mindful of the Greatness of China, focusing on cultivating more excellent professionals who knew and loved forestry industry, comprehensively improving the ability to serve the national strategy and the development of Heilongjiang Province, and accelerating innovation in forestry and grassland science and technology. Guided by Xi Jinping's Thought on Ecological Civilization, NEFU will make new and great contributions to promoting the high-quality development of forestry and grassland undertakings and building ecological civilization and a beautiful China.

Han Shengjian, Vice Governor of Heilongjiang Provincial Government, welcomed the delegates on behalf of the Heilongjiang Provincial Government. He pointed out that the China Forestry Academic Conference closely focused on the key, hot and difficult issues in the construction of forestry and grassland modernization and the frontiers of discipline development, enlightened innovative thinking, led the direction of science and technology, promoted the development of disciplines and the transformation of achievements through academic exchanges, and made outstanding contributions to the promotion of scientific and technological progress in forestry and grassland and the growth of professionals. He said that Heilongjiang Province, as a large province with forest and grass resources, had always attached great importance to the construction of ecological civilization and innovation-driven development. It would firmly practice Xi Jinping’s Thought on Ecological Civilization, resolutely take up the political responsibility of building China’s northern ecological barriers, vigorously implement the drive of forest and grass science and technology innovation, so as to promote the harmonious coexistence of human beings and nature to turn on a new leaf for the construction of ecological civilization in Heilongjiang Province.

Tan Guangming, member of the party group and deputy director of the State Forestry and Grassland Administration, introduced the remarkable achievements made by the forestry and grassland system in adhering to ecological priority and green development since the 18th CPC National Congress, elaborated on the relationship between scientific and technological innovation and high-quality development of forestry and grassland undertakings, and analyzed the new situation and new requirements faced by forestry and grassland scientific and technological work. He pointed out that to promote the forestry and grassland science and technology innovation in Chinese-style modernization, we should adhere to Xi Jinping’s Thought on Ecological Civilization as a scientific guide, stand in the height of harmonious coexistence of man and nature to plan, firmly establish the concept of Lucid Waters and Lush Mountains are Invaluable Assets, closely combined with the practice, and transform Xi Jinping’s Thought on Ecological Civilization into the driving force of forestry and grassland science and technology innovation. We should adhere to the reform of institutional mechanism as the fundamental impetus, and the urgent need for reform and practice as the mission. We should take building a good scientific and technological professional team as the fundamental initiative, and vigorously carry forward the spirit of scientists as the important guarantee to create a strong scientific research and academic atmosphere.

Zhao Shucong, president of the Chinese Society of Forestry, delivered a speech at the opening ceremony. He pointed out that the Communist Party of China and our country had given the forestry and grassland cause a new strategic opportunity and a new historical mission, which had put forward a major issue for the majority of forestry and grassland science and technology workers and provided a broad stage for pursuing their dreams. To promote the modernization of man and nature in harmony, forestry and grassland science and technology workers should set up a lofty ideal and be mindful of the Greatness of China, grasp the laws of science, bravely overcome the scientific difficulties, adhere to the application of learning, enhance the well-being of people’s livelihood, carry forward the spirit of scientists and the inheritance of valuable wealth, and vigorously cultivate young people, and consolidate the foundation of their development. Zhao Shucong said, the China Forestry Academic Conference was not only the highest stage for the display of China’s forestry science and technology achievements, the forefront of forestry academic thought collision, but also the largest practice field for the outstanding forestry science and technology professionals. He hoped that we could fully display our new ideas, new perspectives, and new results accumulated in recent years, so as to provide new insight for the development of forestry and grassland cause, and new impetus for the construction of ecological civilization and a beautiful China.

After the opening ceremony, the keynote speeches entitled Timber and Wood Industry Development under Double Carbon Strategy, Reflections on Scientific and Technological Support for High-quality Development of Nature Reserves, Reflections on Scientific and Technological Innovation in the Green Home Industry, Keeping Integrity and Innovation, Traveling Steadily and Making Progress to Win the Battle of New Three Norths, Ecological Self-control Strategies and Technologies for the Disaster of the Light-shouldered Stargazer in Invaded Areas, were delivered respectively by Li Jian, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and professor of Northeast Forestry University, Yin Weilun, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and professor of Beijing Forestry University, Wu Yiqiang, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, president and professor of Central South Forestry University, Lu Qi, chief scientist of the Chinese Academy of Forestry Sciences and researcher of the Institute of Ecological Protection and Restoration, Luo Youqing, chairman of the Forest and Grassland Insect Branch of the Chinese Forestry Society and professor of Beijing Forestry University. Researcher Chen Xingliang, Vice President of the Chinese Society of Forestry and Vice Dean of the Chinese Academy of Forestry, presided over the academic conference.

This academic conference set up a total of 1 main venue and 56 branch venues, with more than 1,000 special reports and more than 2,000 abstracts collected, and nearly 4,000 experts, scholars, teachers, students attended from institutions of higher learning, scientific research institutions, enterprises, etc. It is a forestry academic event, which forestry science and technology workers have been looking forward to for more than 3 years.

The content of the academic conference covered a wide range of disciplines, including forestry and grassland science and technology management, carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, national parks, nature reserves, wetlands, wildlife, soil and water conservation, desertification prevention and control, grass seed industry, grassland ecology, timber science and technology, basic biology of forestry and grassland, arboriculture, forest soil, forest cultivation and other disciplinary fields.