The launching ceremony of China Office of the Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) was held in the CAS South China Botanical Garden (SCBG) in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, on 26 February. The event brought together more than 100 high-caliber scholars and officials, including Secretary General of BGCI Mme. Sara Oldfield, Director of SCBG Prof. HUANG Hongwen, Director of the BGCI China Office WEN Xiangying and Vice Director of CAS Bureau of Life  Sciences and Biotechnology SU Ronghui.

    With the aim to combine direct plant conservation efforts with a firm commitment to promoting environmental education and capacity building, the office will better serve the exchanges and cooperation between Chinese botanical gardens and BGCI. "The opening of a BGCI office in China has the potential to make a huge difference in existing plant conservation efforts in this country," says Wen, "Joining it at this crucial time is really exciting."

    Since initially established during last summer, the office has already embarked on its functions. It has unfolded the program of ex-situ (off-site) conservation and survey of China's magnoliaceae and in the coming years it will focus on the implementation of "China's Strategy for Plant Conservation," which was co-launched by BGCI and Chinese government in 2007. The compulsory regulations are believed to better facilitate capacity building and awareness raising in plant conservation.

    Delighted to see the cooperation well on its way, Mme. Sara Oldfield says that to help safeguarding China's plant diversity is one of the key commitments of BGCI and working closely with its regional members, BGCI will draw on global network of botanic gardens to provide technical support and expertise to its members across China. She also hopes that in the future the world can see and learn China's successful experiences in plant conservation.

    Also present at the opening ceremony were JIA Jiansheng, Deputy Director of the Department of Wildlife Conservation of State Forestry Administration of China, HE Qiang, representative from the State Environmental Protection Administration of China, CHEN Yong, Director of CAS Guangzhou Branch and leaders from China's botanic gardens and People's Government of Guangzhou Municipality. And also reporters from more than ten news media including Science Times, Nanfang Daily and Guangdong TV as well as accredited journalists of BGCI attended the event.