The National Science Foundation (NSF) of USA and Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) jointly held a workshop on biodiversity and tropical ecology in XTBG on September 17-19. 26 representatives from NSF, NSFC, XTBG, some universities of USA, Thailand, and Laos attended the workshop. 

Prof. Cao Min, deputy director of XTBG, presided over the workshop. Prof. Chen Jin, director of XTBG, gave a welcome address. Dr. Nancy Sung, head of NSF Beijing Office, introduced the history of NSF-XTBG cooperation, and the background of this workshop. 

16 presentations were made at the workshop. Representatives of NSF introduced the funding opportunities and research output of the NSF. Scientists of USA universities discussed cooperation potentials with XTBG and Southeast Asian countries. Supaporn Rodpradit introduced restoration of lower montane evergreen forest in Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden. Somsanith Bouamanivong presented biodiversity and forest ecosystem in Laos. 

Other 5 presentations were made by XTBG representatives as following: 

Lin Luxiang            A talk on researches in Xishuangbanna forest dynamics plot. 

Alice Hughes         Current and future challenges to Southeast Asian Biodiversity. 

Liu Jingxin             Program for Field Studies in Tropical Asia. 

Kyle Tomlinson     The Ecology and Evolution of Spinescencein Plants. 

Yang Xiaodong      Link Biodiversity to Reconstruct Environmental Friendly Rubber Plantation. 

The participants also discussed challenges and opportunities faced with current cooperation and training. The scale of funding programs is expected to be expanded via government to government meetings. The attending scientists are willing to promote the development of tropical biodiversity and ecology. 

Dr. Chen Jin delivers welcome speech 

Dr. Nancy Sung introduces NSF 

Participants pose a group photo