From September 11 to 13, the Fourth Summit of 50 Young Scientists in Forestry and Grassland Science, themed “Strengthening the Foundations of Forestry and Grassland Research and Drawing a Blueprint for Green Development,” was held at Northeast Forestry University. The Chinese Society of Forestry and Northeast Forestry University jointly organized the summit, with co-organizers including the Youth Committee of the Chinese Society of Forestry, NEFU’s Institute of Science and Technology, the School of Forestry, and the Heilongjiang Society of Forestry. More than 50 young scientific and technological professionals from universities and research institutes across China specializing in forestry and grassland science gathered in Harbin to focus on cutting-edge topics, including fundamental research in forestry and grassland science, biodiversity conservation, intelligent monitoring of forest resources, and ecological restoration, and to engage in academic discussions and field research exchanges.

Sun Long, a member of NEFU’s Communist Party Committee Standing Committee and Vice President, chaired the opening ceremony of the summit. Song Wenlong, President of NEFU, delivered a welcome address, and Yan Guoyong, a professor at the School of Forestry and a representative of the young scientists, gave a speech at the summit. Wu Tonggui, Executive Deputy Director of the Fourth Youth Committee of the Chinese Society of Forestry and Deputy Director of the Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, read the Decision of the Youth Committee of the Chinese Society of Forestry on Adding Members to the Fourth Committee. Zeng Xiangwei, Deputy Secretary-General of the Chinese Society of Forestry and Chair of its Fourth Youth Committee, attended the opening ceremony, presented appointment certificates to newly appointed committee members, and delivered an address.

The summit invited several renowned Chinese experts to deliver keynote academic presentations. Professor Ma Keping, a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and director of the Northeast Asian Biodiversity Research Center, systematically presented key research findings on biodiversity strategies from the perspective of global ecological development. Professor Zhang Wei of the College of Wildlife and Protected Areas explained a conservation concept that promotes the coordinated advancement of protection and utilization, drawing on practical experience in wildlife conservation.

Academician Ma Keping delivers a keynote speech.

Professor Zhang Wei delivers a keynote speech.

Professor Zhang Chaoqun of Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Researcher Fu Liyong of the Chinese Academy of Forestry, Professor Mao Lingfeng of Nanjing Forestry University, Researcher Ma Zeqing of the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and other experts and scholars took the stage in turn. They presented their teams’ latest scientific findings on topics including the molecular restructuring of plant oils, intelligent forest resource surveys and monitoring enabled by iForest technology, biodiversity conservation from multidimensional perspectives, and multiscale root architecture and forest productivity. Their presentations broadened the academic horizons of the participating young researchers and sparked new research ideas.

Top: Professor Zhang Chaoqun and Researcher Fu Liyong. Bottom: Professor Mao Lingfeng and Researcher Ma Zeqing.

After the academic presentations, the participating representatives visited the Mao’ershan Experimental Forest Farm for on-site learning and exchange. They visited the Heilongjiang Mao’ershan National Field Scientific Observation and Research Station for Forest Ecosystems and the National Birch Improved Variety Base to gain an in-depth understanding of how field research platforms are developed and operated. They also held on-site discussions on practical issues, including long-term forest ecological monitoring, the cultivation of improved tree varieties, and ecosystem conservation and restoration, thereby promoting the close integration of theoretical research and field practice.

The Summit of 50 Young Scientists in Forestry and Grassland Science is a highly influential platform for academic exchange among young researchers in China’s forestry and grassland sector, with the core objective of establishing a nationwide collaborative network for young scientific and technological talent in the field. This year’s summit brought together more than 50 outstanding young scientists in forestry and grassland science from across China, spanning key research areas such as forest ecology, biodiversity, smart forestry, forest products and chemical processing, and ecological restoration. The participating young scholars exchanged academic views, stimulated scientific thinking, jointly assessed trends in their disciplines’ development, and helped strengthen a tiered system for cultivating young talent in forestry and grassland science.