International workshop on forest canopies, chaired by Professors Cao Min (XTBG) and Roger Kitching (Visiting Professor of XTBG), was held at Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Mengla, Yunnan from 27th to 29th October 2015. Over 50 participants with various backgrounds including ecophysiology, remote sensing, ecosystem ecology, community ecology, entomology, botany and conservation ecology, made a visit to XTBG from USA, Germany, Australia, UK, Netherlands, Czech, France, Belgium, Japan and various regions of China. The workshop also attached people from various other professions such as canopy crane managers (Bubeng (XTBG), Lijiang (Kunming Institute of Botany), Tomakomai (Japan), Lambir Hills (Malaysia), Leipzig (Germany) and Wanang (Papua New Guinea) as well as engineers and technicians working on other canopy access techniques.
The workshop provided opportunities for many participants to showcase their research and to propose future projects associated with canopy studies. All participants were then split into themed groups to discuss about potential collaborative project that bring together international canopy scientists and use networks of canopy cranes to address important research questions. The workshop also held a small session to discuss about the practical issues of canopy crane (safety and management procedures) and other access methods such as single rope technique. During the excursion on the last day, all participants were impressed with the Bubeng canopy crane (80 m high, 60 m jib effective length) which was erected in 2014 near CForBio 20 ha plot. The workshop was concluded with great success and Professor Claire Ozanne (University of Roehampton, UK) invited all participants to attend the 7th International Canopy Cconference which will be held in London from the 21st to 26th August 2016. The networking amongst canopy scientists and canopy crane operators are critical to progress canopy sciences and this workshop significantly promoted our Chinese and international collaborations.
Participants pose a group photo
Prof. Chen Jin delivers an opening speech
