On the morning of June 15, the School of Forestry officially launched the first session of the “Five Trees Forum” with an inaugural ceremony and keynote lectures in the International Conference Hall (Room 331) of the Wildlife Conservation Building. The event was attended by Sun Meng, Secretary of NEFU’s Party Committee; Academician Ma Keping of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Director of the Northeast Asia Biodiversity Research Center; Academician Alessandro Chiarucci of the University of Bologna, Italy; and Sun Long, Member of NEFU’s Party Committee Standing Committee, Assistant to the President, and Party Secretary of the School of Forestry. Also present were members of the leadership, discipline leaders, program directors, faculty representatives, and graduate students. The event was chaired by Zhang Peng, Dean of the School of Forestry.

For many years, the School of Forestry has remained committed to its core mission of fostering virtue through education. Guided by the central questions of higher education—whom to cultivate, how to cultivate them, and for whom to cultivate them—the School of Forestry has developed a comprehensive “Five Trees Spirit” Educational Framework through years of educational practice. This holistic model promotes student development across the five dimensions of moral, intellectual, physical, aesthetic, and labor education, establishing an integrated, whole-process, and all-round educational system. The “Five Trees Spirit” draws inspiration from five representative tree species: the Korean pine, symbolizing integrity and moral character; the lilac, representing the enduring pursuit of knowledge and wisdom; the Manchurian ash, embodying physical strength and resilience; the white birch, reflecting purity and aesthetic refinement; and the poplar, exemplifying diligence, perseverance, and dedication to serving society. Building on this educational philosophy, the “Five Trees Forum” was established as both an extension and a practical embodiment of the “Five Trees Spirit,” representing an innovative approach to talent cultivation. Guided by its slogan, “Listening to the Voice of Every Tree, Cultivating Talent for Every Forest,” the forum brings together distinguished scholars and leading academic resources from China and abroad to create a high-level platform that integrates frontier research, talent cultivation, and student development.

At the launch ceremony, Sun Meng and Academician Ma Keping jointly inaugurated the “Five Trees Forum.”

In his remarks, Sun Meng warmly congratulated the School of Forestry on the forum’s official launch and extended sincere congratulations to Academician Ma Keping on his recent election as Chair of the Executive Bureau of the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Program International Coordinating Council. He noted that the forum’s successful establishment was made possible by Academician Ma’s dedicated guidance and strong support. Since returning to NEFU in 2023 as a full-time faculty member and Director of the Northeast Asia Biodiversity Research Center, Academician Ma has significantly enhanced our university’s academic standing and international influence in biodiversity research through his profound scholarship and global vision, thereby driving the rapid development of related disciplines. Looking ahead, Sun outlined three aspirations for the forum’s future development: to build a leading academic platform under the guidance of distinguished scholars; to cultivate a new generation of talent through the “Five Trees Spirit”; and to strengthen educational excellence through dedicated teaching and solid institutional support. He encouraged students to take the “Five Trees Spirit” as their guide, remain firmly rooted in China’s fertile land while aspiring to global horizons, and integrate their personal ideals into the great cause of building China’s ecological civilization.

Following the launch ceremony, Academician Ma Keping delivered the inaugural lecture, “Focusing on Global Priorities and Seizing the Window of Opportunity for Biodiversity Research.” In his presentation, he systematically reviewed the current status, major achievements, and emerging frontiers of biodiversity research in China and provided an in-depth analysis of the field’s challenges and opportunities. His lecture offered faculty members and students a thought-provoking overview of one of the world’s most dynamic areas of ecological research.

The second keynote lecture, “Strictly Protected Areas: A New Challenge for the Anthropocene,” was delivered by Academician Alessandro Chiarucci. Professor Chiarucci is a Full Professor of Environmental and Applied Botany at the University of Bologna and a member of the Academia Europaea and the Accademia Nazionale di Agricoltura (National Academy of Agriculture of Italy). He has devoted many years to research in biodiversity assessment, macroecology, conservation biology, and biogeography, and has made significant contributions to protected area planning, biodiversity monitoring, and ecosystem conservation.

The official launch of the “Five Trees Forum” marks an important milestone in the School of Forestry’s educational initiatives. Moving forward, the School will continue to use the forum as a premier academic platform to bring together outstanding scholarly resources from around the world, promote academic excellence, foster a rigorous scholarly culture, and instill sound values in students. Through these efforts, the School aims to nurture a new generation of professionals dedicated to advancing ecological civilization and contributing to sustainable development in the new era.