On February 15, an agreement on the joint construction of “Xishuangbanna Tropical Rainforest Biodiversity Monitoring Plot was signed between XTBG and Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve. Being representatives of the two sides, Prof. Chen Jin, director of XTBG, and Mr. Wang Zhanqiang, director of Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve, signed the contract. As a result of multilateral efforts, the project of the Great Plot will be put into force soon.

The construction of the Great Plot aims at monitoring and studying the long-term dynamics of the tropical rainforest ecosystems, so as to research the origin and maintaining mechanism of species diversity. And the data on forest dynamics will be used in the conservation and sustainable management of local nature reserve ecosystems. In order to actively carry out the protection and research on biodiversity, with permission of Yunnan Provincial Department of Forestry, XTBG and Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve are to establish the Great Plot under the guidance of the Biodiversity Committee of CAS. The primitive Shorea chinensis forest has been chosen as the constructing place. Covering an area of 25 ha, the Great Plot is to be established and investigated in accordance with the criteria of Chinese Forest Diversity Monitoring Network. The construction of the Great Plot will sustain 30 years, which will be officially inaugurated from March 1, 2006.

  Present at the discussion and signing ceremony were Prof. Cao Min, deputy director of XTBG, Mr. Huang Jianguo, deputy director of Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve, and some other relevant personnel of the two sides.