The Annual Academic Meeting 2015 of Chinese Botanic Gardens was opened in Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG) on November 12. The meeting attracted 410 representatives from 62 botanical gardens, 26 research institutes and  24 international organizations. The theme of the meeting was “Development of ecological civilization -- mission of botanical gardens”.
   The meeting included four symposia on “biodiversity conservation and sustainable utilization of plant resources”, “environmental education and ecotourism”, “gardening management and breeding of horticultural cultivars”, “development and prospect of botanic gardens”. Six keynote speeches, 86 presentations, and 20 posters will highlight the achievement in scientific research, public education, gardening and horticultural display of botanical gardens over the past years.
   At the opening ceremony, “Lifetime Achievement Award of Chinese Botanical Garden” was conferred to Deng Xiqing, Hu Tingsong, Dong Baohua, Long Yayi, and Chen Shaoyi to acknowledge their outstanding contribution to development of Chinese botanical gardens.
   Prof. He Shanan, former president of the International Association of Botanic Gardens (IABG), was invited to give a keynote speech on “the Belt and Road and development of botanical gardens”. Prof. Huang Hongwen, general coordinator of East Asian Botanical Garden Network (EABGN), talked about the impact of plant introduction and acclimatization on human civilization over the past 500 years.
   Prof. Vernon H. Heywood, president of the International Association of Botanic Gardens (IABG), and Prof. Stephen Blackmore, chairman of Botanical Garden Conservation International (BGCI), and some other famous botanists were present at the meeting.
  The two-day meeting will be closed in this afternoon. “Wonderful presentations and cheerful exchanges are expected”, said Prof. Chen Jin, director of XTBG.

Represenatives pose a group photo

CPC secretary Li Hongwei chairs the opening ceremony

Prof. Chen Jin delivers an opening speech

Mr. Ma Yan speaks at the opening

Mr. Yan Qing of CAS speaks

Prof. He Shanan makes a plenary speech