On February 26, the inauguration of Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) China Program Office was held in South China Botanical Garden. Ms. Sara Oldfield, secretary general of BGCI, Mrs. WEN Xiangying, China Programme coordinator of BGCI, Mr. JIA Jiansheng, deputy director of Department of Wildlife Conservation of State Forestry Administration (SFA), Mr. HE Qiang, engineer of State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA), Dr. SU Ronghui, deputy director of Life Science and Biological Technology Bureau of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Dr. CHEN Yong, director of Guangzhou Branch of CAS, all the members of SCBG Leadership, and parts of scientists from SCBG were present at the inauguration. Prof. MA Keping, director of Institute of Botany of CAS, Prof. LI Dezhu, director of Kunming Institute of Botany of CAS, Prof. CHEN Jin, director of Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden of CAS, Prof. LI Shaohua, deputy director of Wuhan Botanical Garden of CAS, and some other delegates from Lushan Botanical Garden, Shenzhen Fairylake Botanical Garden, South China Agricultural University, Hongkong Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, and some agencies and institutions of Guangzhou, respectively, were also invited to attend the inauguration. Journalists from BGCI, Sciencetimes, Nanfang Daily, Guangdong TV and so on came to report this festival.

The inauguration was chaired by Prof. ZHOU Guoyi, deputy director of SCBG. Prof. HUANG Hongwen, director of SCBG, Ms. Sara, Mrs. Wen, Dr. Su gave respective speeches to congratulate that the office was open successfully and hoped that the office would become the link between BGCI and China to provide chance to cooperate and exchange. “The opening of a BGCI office in China has the potential to make a huge difference in existing plant conservation efforts in China” said Mrs. Wen, “joining at this crucial time is a really exciting prospect.” After the inauguration, Ms. Sara, Mr. Jia, Dr. Su and Dr. Huang unveiled the office label together, which officially marked the beginning of a turn-around in the fortunes of the country’s plants - a radical and far-reaching collaboration was set up between the international plant conservation network and the nation’s government to halt the decline of native Chinese flora.

Taking into account the fact that China is a country with extremely rich plant diversity, many botanical gardens and that China has obtained significant achievements in the area of plant diversity conservation, BGCI decided to set an office to serve conservation and education for better in China, and to carry out the related projects for better in 2007. BGCI set in the grounds of SCBG considering that SCBG is playing an important role in the area of China plant conservation. The office had begun to carry out some projects such as investigation of Magnoliaceae ex situ collection in China since the office was set up in 2007. The office will assist in the implementation of CSPC in the future. The office’s ambitious remit combines direct plant conservation efforts with a firm commitment to promoting environmental education and capacity building. 

Ms. Sara gave full affirmation about the cooperation between BGCI and China just as what she expressed in her speech: “China’s great enthusiasm and commitment in developing this strategy is extremely positive news for plant conservation efforts globally. We are delighted to have been involved in this historic move and, with our garden members, will be working hard to support China’s Strategy for Plant Conservation.”