One hundred years ago, the forest ecosystem of China went into a decline, as that of the semi-colonial and semi-feudal China. Knowing “The agony of wood shortage in China”, that “The rise and fall of forestry is closely related to that of the nation”, and that “It’s imperative for China to revitalize forestry”, Lin Daoyang, the pioneer of forestry, set up China Forestry Association in Huizhong Restaurant in Shanghai on February 12, 1917. With the aim of “gathering comrades to seek forestry development”, China Forestry Association made forest protection and afforestation its mission, advocated giving speech on forestry and organizing magazine on forestry, promoted forestry consultation and construction of model forestry farm, in order to encourage people to cherish national nature resources, to improve people’s ability of aesthetic and self-cultivation, and to urge people to think deeply and plan carefully. Then the name of the organization was changed to China Forestry Society in 1928, and was re-established as Chinese Society of Forestry (CSF) in 1951.

Chinese Society of Forestry is the first national mass organization of forestry in China. The founding of the Society added vitality to China’s forestry undertaking and set many precedents. CSF published the first forestry magazine Forest and its successors, Scientia Silvae Sinicae, released the first paper on relationship between forest and flood and drought, set up the first Arbor Day in China, first established branch in Taiwan, first unified terms in forestry science, set up the first Awards of Liang Xi , Awards of Jinsong, and Awards of Chen Rong , and had academician among the first members. CSF was also the first to recommend candidates for academician and National Science and Technology Award, and held the first China Forestry Academic Conference, the first Forestry Talents Annual Conference, and the first High-level Forum on Modern Forestry Development. At the foundation, the science popularization for youth was the mission of CSF. After its foundation, it held the first forestry summer camp for adolescent and the first forestry science popularization tour, started the first top magazine of forestry science popularization Forest and Humankind, and established the first think tank of experts on forestry and the first cross-strait forestry forum and so on. Chinese Society of Forestry has been forging ahead in keeping with the development of China’s forestry and forestry science. 

This year is the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Society of Forestry. CSF has developed into an influential social organization with comprehensive disciplines and sound system. Its members increased from 50 at its foundation to more than 90 thousand individual members and around 200 group members, and it has 42 secondary branches (specialized committees), one fund management committee and 10 working committees. As the old saying goes “It takes ten years to grow trees, but a hundred to rear people”, CSF has been growing trees and rearing people during the course of its one hundred-year development and we deeply feel pride of this.

We should learn from history and never forget why we started. To commemorate one hundred-year development, we compiled A Hundred-Year History of Chinese Society of Forestry which records the course of development of CSF from small to large and from weakness to mightiness and highlights major figures and important history events of the course of its development. Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China and in the course of realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, China is moving towards a new era of socialist ecological civilization, and forestry has never been so closely related to people’s well-being. Let us inherit the glorious tradition of CSF, carry forward the spirit of contributing to revitalization of the Chinese by organizing Chinese Society of Forestry, further develop the course of pursuing truth, educating people with technology and making forestry flourish with technology, pursue forestry ecology for people’s well-being, gather like-minded people and contribute to the construction of ecological civilization and beautiful China.