(1) The 5th Symposium on Chinese Precious Trees

From October 23 to 25, 2019, the Chinese Society of Forestry held the 5th Symposium on Chinese Precious Trees in Nanchang. Wu Xiuli, Deputy Director of the Department of Ecological Conservation and Restoration of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Li Dongsheng, Deputy Secretary-General of the Chinese Society of Forestry, Meng Ping, Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Forestry, Wei Yunhua, President of the Jiangxi Forestry Society, Jin Zhinong, President of the Nanchang Institute of Technology, and other leaders and experts as well as more than 250 representatives attended the symposium.

Researcher Jin Zhinong, President of the Nanchang Institute of Technology, Researcher Xu Daping, Director of the Research Institute of Tropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Researcher Wang Junhui of the Chinese Academy of Forestry, and Researcher Zhou Cheng, Vice President of the Jiangxi Academy of Forestry were invited to make special reports, respectively, namely “Selection and Breeding of Fine Camphor Trees for Spices”, “Developing Precious Trees and Improving Forest Quality in a Targeted Way”, “Precious Trees Catalpa COMT Family Gene Expression Characteristics and Function Analysis” and “Jiangxi Precious Trees Development Report”. More than 10 experts and scholars such as Researcher Zhao Rongjun of the Research Institute of Wood Industry, Chinese Academy of Forestry made exchange reports. Dr. Lu Zhaohua, Secretary General of the Precious Trees Branch, summarized the previous year’s work of the Branch and made a report on the work plan for the next year.

This symposium was themed by “Developing Precious Trees and Improving Forest Quality in a Targeted Way”. Nearly 20 experts and scholars made reports at the symposium to exchange their views on a series of research results achieved in the field of Precious Trees in recent years. Upon the completion of the symposium, the representatives went to the planting base of Aromatic Camphor Cooperative in Xishan of Jinxi County, Fuzhou City, Jiangxi Province, the oil extraction base of Aromatic Camphor Cooperative, the Jinxi Spice and Essence Industry Exhibition Area, the crude oil separation and purification plant of Rosin Corporation, Jinxi Teaching and Research Base of Nanchang Institute of Technology to visit the whole industry chain of camphor tree resources from planting to processing and utilization in Jinxi County.

(2) The 4th Symposium on Chinese Precious Trees

From October 31 to November 2, 2018, the Chinese Society of Forestry held the 4th Symposium on Chinese Precious Trees in Chengdu, Sichuan. Huang Daqiang, Deputy Director of the Science and Technology Department of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Inspector Luo Jianguo of the Sichuan Forestry Department, Xu Daping, Director of the Research Institute of Tropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, and Chairman of the Precious Trees Branch, and other leaders and experts as well as more than 240 representatives attended the symposium.

This symposium was themed by “Developing Precious Trees and Promoting Rural Revitalization”. More than 20 experts and scholars made reports at the symposium to exchange their views on a series of research results achieved in the field of Precious Trees in recent years. Upon the completion of the symposium, representatives went to Leshan City and Lezhi County of Ziyang City in Sichuan Province to inspect the precious timber forest bases such as dalbergia odorifera and Phoebe zhennan S. Lee and carried out on-site exchanges.

(3) The 3rd Symposium on Chinese Precious Trees

From October 30 to 31, 2017, the Chinese Society of Forestry held the 3rd Symposium on Chinese Precious Trees in Changsha, Hunan. Chen Xingliang, Vice President and Secretary General of the Chinese Society of Forestry, Li Yunkun, former director of the Science and Technology Development Center of State Forestry Administration, Gui Xiaojie, Chief Engineer of the Hunan Forestry Department, Xu Daping, Director of the Research Institute of Tropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, and other leaders and experts as well as more than 200 representatives attended the symposium.

This symposium was themed by “Developing Precious Trees and Improving Forest Quality”, and academic discussions were conducted. Researcher Xu Daping, Chairman of the Precious Trees Branch, Li Yunkun, Professor-level Senior Engineer, He Debo, Secretary of Jindong Forest Farm, Hunan Province, Researcher Wu Jiyou of the Hunan Academy of Forestry, Professor Fang Shengzuo of Nanjing Forestry University, and Professor Li Zhihui of Central South University of Forestry and Technology were invited to make special reports, respectively, namely “Efficient Cultivation and Fragrance Generation Technology of Agilawood”, “Thinking of Some Problems in the Cultivation of Precious Trees Resources in China”, “Adjusting Structure, Improving Weak Links, and Writing a New Chapter in Forestry Development”, “Cultivation of Precious Timber Tree Species in Hunan”, “Summary of Research Progress in Cultivation and Utilization of Cyclocarya Paliurus Resources” and “Precious Trees and Construction of National Reserve Forest”. 18 experts gave special reports. From the perspective of their respective research fields, the experts shared their views on collection, preservation and utilization of Precious Trees resources, molecular technology assisted breeding, physiological and ecological research, cultivation of large-diameter timber, plantation site evaluation, clonal selection and breeding technologies, chemical regulation of seedling growth, research on pest control strategies, etc. Dr. Lu Zhaohua, Secretary-General of the Precious Trees Branch, summarized and arranged the work of the Branch. Professor-level Senior Engineer Li Shuming, Director of the Sufeng Office of Hunan Forestry Department, summarized the symposium.

Upon the completion of the symposium, the representatives went to the National Reserve Forest Base of Precious Trees in Wangshiwan Town, Zhuzhou County to inspect the artificial intensive afforestation of the Precious Trees, the improved cultivation of the existing forests and the construction of the secured nursery of the Precious Trees, and conducted heated discussions on the spot.

(4) The 2nd Symposium on Chinese Precious Trees

From November 22 to 23, 2016, the Chinese Society of Forestry held the 2nd Symposium on Chinese Precious Trees in Pingxiang, Guangxi. Xu Daping, Director of the Research Institute of Tropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Cai Daoxiong, Director of the Experimental Center Tropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, and Researcher Wang Junhui of the Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, and other leaders and experts as well as more than 180 representatives attended the symposium.

Researcher Xu Daping of the Research Institute of Tropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Researcher Cai Daoxiong of the Experimental Center Tropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Researcher Wang Junhui of the Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry and Researcher Zhu Jiyu of the Guangxi Academy of Forestry were invited to make special reports, respectively, namely “Research on the Development of Precious Trees from the Perspective of Supply-side Reform of Forestry”, “Close-to-nature Management Practices of Precious Trees”, “Selection and Efficient Breeding of Precious Trees in Northern China” and “Research on and Application of Genetic Improvement and Efficient Breeding of Castanopsis Hystrix”. In addition, 12 experts and scholars gave special reports in combination with their own research fields and actual work, and conducted in-depth exchanges and discussions with the participants. Upon the completion of the symposium, representatives went to the experimental base of the Experimental Center Tropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry to conduct on-the-spot investigations, and carried out on-site exchanges on the management model and cultivation techniques of Precious Trees.

(5) The 1st Symposium on Chinese Precious Trees

From September 15 to 17, 2015, the Chinese Society of Forestry held the Founding Assembly of Precious Trees Branch and 1st Symposium on Chinese Precious Trees in Guangzhou. Chen Xingliang, Vice President and Secretary General of the Chinese Society of Forestry, Chen Xiaoyang, President of South China Agricultural University, Meng Ping, Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Forestry, and other leaders and experts as well as more than 200 representatives attended the symposium.

Researcher Xu Daping of the Research Institute of Tropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Professor Chen Xiaoyang of South China Agricultural University, Professor Fang Shengzuo of Nanjing Forestry University, and Researcher Wang Junhui of the Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry were invited to make special reports, respectively, namely “Development of Precious Trees and Promotion of Transformation and Upgrading of Forestry Industry - A case Study of Dalbergia Odorifera, Sandalwood and Agilawood”, “Research on Germplasm Resources of High-quality Fast-growing Tree Species in Southern China”, “Research Progress in and Prospects of Precious Trees Cyclocarya Paliurus” and “Breeding Strategy of and Research Progress in Precious Trees Catalpa”. In additiona, 16 experts made special reports themed by Precious Trees. From the perspective of their respective research fields, Bai Jiayu, Liu Jianfeng, Liang Kunnan, Jiang Jinghui, Zeng Jie, Zhang Chuanhong, Chen Honghui, Zeng Bingshan, Liu Jun and other experts from the Chinese Academy of Forestry shared their views on the research and development of precious tropical tree species in China in the last century, the research progress in Thuja (genus), the current status and development trend of teak resources at home and abroad, the mechanical processing performance of betula alnoides and castanopsis hystrix, the analysis of growth status and genetic diversity of unique endangered species paper bark maple, pruning research on betula alnoides plantation, rapid breeding and utilization of excellent clonal betula alnoides and betula luminifera, tissue culture of acacia melanoxylon and clonal selection and breeding, research on genetic diversity sampling strategies of natural Precious Trees of toona ciliata var. pubescens, etc.

The symposium marked the founding of the Precious Trees Branch of the Chinese Society of Forestry, and members of the first committee of the Precious Trees Branch of the Chinese Society of Forestry were elected.

Upon the completion of the symposium,, all the participants visited the plantation demonstration sites such as Longzhudao Sandalwood Industry Technology Co., Ltd. in Gaoyao City, Guangdong Province, Lvyuan Ecological Technology Co., Ltd. in Foshan City, and Jinlong Precious Trees Research Base in Zhaoqing City to mainly inspected the interplanting model of Precious Trees, the mixed model of dalbergia odorifera and sandalwood, the efficient cultivation model of Precious Trees such as dalbergia odorifera, and the development and utilization of derivatives of Precious Trees such as sandalwood.