The 2019 International Ecotourism Symposium in Xishuangbanna was held at Jinghong on December 13-14, which brought together 300 representatives from home and abroad to discuss ecotourism under the Sustainable Development Goals. 

Mr. Chen Shun, vice governor of Yunnan province, delivered an opening speech. Mr. Zhang Xinsheng, former vice-minister of the Ministry of Education and president of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and Mr. Yang Chao from National Forestry and Grassland Administration delivered plenary speech at the opening. 

The conference composed of three symposia themed with “Creativity and Innovation of Ecotourism”, “Ecological Protection and Biodiversity Conservation”, and “Exploration and Practice of Ecological Restoration” respectively. Many scholars and experts shared their insights and opinions at the symposia. 

Prof. Chen Jin, director of Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG), was invited to make a keynote speech entitled “Ecotourism and biodiversity conservation in Xishuangbanna”. He said that biodiversity conservation is a prerequisite for carrying out ecotourism, and ecotourism is an important drive for conserving regional biodiversity.  

At the symposium of “Exploration and Practice of Ecological Restoration”, Prof. Chen Jin presented “How to restore tropical rainforest in Xishuangbanna?” He proposed to return 1 million mu of rubber plantations to tropical rainforest or natural forest. He also put forward priority area of returning rubber plantations to natural forest. 

At the panel discussion, Chen Jin called for protection of forest fragments and isolated residue trees. He also emphasized importance of germplasm protection for restoring ecological environment. 

Prof. Nakamura Akihiro of XTBG also made a presentation entitled “Monitoring biodiversity and species interactions in a changing world” at the symposium of “Ecological Protection and Biodiversity Conservation”. He emphasized the importance of biodiversity monitoring to ecotourism. 

After the symposium, Mr. Zhang Xinsheng, president of IUCN, came to XTBG to inspect its work on species conservation and public education. Prof. Chen Jin showed the guest around the living collections. 

Prof. Chen Jin makes a keynote speech.  

Prof. Chen Jin speaks.  

Prof. Nakamura Akihiro introduces importance of biodiversity monitoring 

Prof. Chen Jin and other experts at the Panel Discussion. 

Mr. Zhang Xinsheng and Prof. Chen Jin at Palm Garden of XTBG.