The School of Ecology and Nature Conservation is a newly restructured unit by merging the School of Nature Conservation, Department of Ecology of the School of Forestry and Institute of Microbiologyin September 2019. The institutional reform recognizesthe needs of both national development and ecology discipline integration, in particular, to strengthen ecology as a basic science for Beijing Forestry University, while maintaining its expertise in nature conservation.
The former school of Nature Conservation, jointly established in December 2004 by the Ministry of Education and State Forestry Administration (now reformed asNational Forestry and Grassland Administration), is the only school that focuses on professional training in nature conservation and nature reserve management in China. The School has been accredited for training programs in three disciplines, namely Wildlife Protection and Utilization that is one of National Key Disciplines, Science of Nature Conservation, and Wetland Ecology.
With a history as long as Beijing Forestry University, the Department of Ecology, co-founded by Professor WANG Zhenru and Academician LI Wenhua, is one of the first institutions for higher education that authorized to run PhD programs in China. Ecology has been a key development discipline that supported by 211 Project and 985 Project Innovation Platform. Due to its achievement, it has been accredited as the Key Disciplines by Beijing Municipality, and National Forestry and Grassland Administration, and the department has been awarded as “Beijing Education Pioneer”.
Institute of Microbiology was established in July 2007, with major research areas focus on fungai biodiversity, fungi systematics, genetics and evolution, fungal ecology, edible and medicinal mushrooms, enzymatic activities and applications of white-rot fungi.
The School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, with its mandate to develop Ecology discipline for Beijing Forestry University, is an innovation oriented college that specialized in nature conservation. It offers a degree program at the undergraduate level--“Wildlife Conservation and Nature Reserve Management” since 2006 when its first group of undergraduate students were recruited. In 2018, the degree program expanded to "Forest Medication". The school also runs Masters and PhD program in Ecology, Biodiversity Conservation, Wildlife Conservation, and Nature Reserve Sciences.
1. Faculty Members and Organization Structure
Currently the school employees 90 staff members, including 65 full-time faculty members (29 professors, 24 associate professors, and 12 lecturers), 11 student mentors, lab or clerical staffs and 14 contracted researchers. The team consists of national and internationally renowned scholars in ecology and nature conservation, such as recipient of National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, Outstanding Youth Science Fund, China Youth Science and Technology Award, National Outstanding Scientific and Technical Experts, National Talent Projects candidate, State Council Expert for Special Allowance, New Century Excellent Talents, Beijing Science and Technology New Star, Beijing Distinguished Teachers , Baosteel Education Award, etc. Most of them have key responsibilities in both international and national academy committee, or associations, or as the chief editor, or editors of major scientific journals.
The school consists of seven departments: Wildlife Protection and Utilization, Dendrology, Wetland Ecology, Nature Reserve Ecology, Forest Ecology, Microbial Ecology and Meteorology, respectively.
2. Disciplines and Research Areas
The School has been accredited for PhD and Master degree programs in Ecology (Forest Ecology, Wetland Ecology and Microbial Ecology), as well as in Forestry, a Double First-Class Initiative discipline (Wildlife Protection and Utilization and Science of Nature Conservation).
Key area of studies for disciplines include: Forest Ecology, Wetland Ecology, Microbial Ecology, Restoration Ecology, Climate Change and Ecological Process, Ecological Planning and Management, Planning and Management of Nature Conservation, Biodiversity Conservation, Forestry Carbon Sink and Carbon Market, Eco-economy and Conservation Policy, Valuation and Management of Natural Capital, Phylogenetic Classification & Evolution Biology, Genetic Diversity and Protection of Germplasm Resources, Conservation Biology along with Fungal Resources and Utilization.
3. Scientific and Educational Achievements
More than 500 key research projects have been conducted, including The National Natural Science Fund projects, 973 Basic Science Projects, 863 National High-tech R&D Program, National Science and Technology Support Project, National Key R&D Program of China and Forestry Public Welfare Projects, which led to over 800 SCI publications (including Science and PNSA), 30 books, 40 patents, and 18 national standards. For students, in the past five years, there have been 59 College Students' Innovative Entrepreneurial Training Plan Programs, among which 12 are at national level, and 49 publications by undergraduates on core journals, including 31 SCI. For teachers, the school has got Wetland International Luc Hoffmann Wetland Science and Conservation Award, one second prize of The State Scientific and Technological Progress Award, two second prizes of Science & technology Development of the Ministry of Education, 11 technology advancement awards at provincial and ministerial level, two second prizes of National Higher Education Teaching Achievement, four second prizes of Beijing Higher Education Teaching Achievement, two LIANG Xi Forestry Science and Technology Awards, three BFU Excellent Teaching Achievements.
4. Social Services
As the country’s key institution in nature conservation, the school has contributed to national key ecological development programs. In the past five years, more than 138 policy issue papers, strategies, and protocols have been published, which provided experts consulting and scientific support to national program on nature conservation and eco-civilization development. In particular, the school has been leading in national law and regulation drafting, such asthe Wetland Protection Law, the Natural Reserve Law, the National Park Law, the Forest Law, the Seed Law, the Wildlife Protection Law, the Grassland Law, as well asRegulations on Nature Reserves. Moreover, based on fruitful research, our experts published very important books titledKey Technologies for the Construction and Management of Nature Reserve,China Coastal Wetland Protection and Management Strategy StudyandChina Ecosystem Management Strategy Study.
5. Research and Education Platform Development
The school has established a comprehensive research and education platforms:
- A general education and demonstration laboratories, specimen rooms, and meterological station, and one national level student practising base (Dongzhai National Nature Reserve, Henan Province)
- Two provincial, or ministerial level scientific research platform (Beijing Key Laboratory of Forest Resource Ecosystem Processes, National Forestry and Grassland Administration Key Laboratory for Yellow River Ecological Protection );
- Many Field scientific research stations (Taiyue Mountain Forest Ecological Observation Station of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration), Hebei Pingquan Research Base, and more than 20 field research stations in national nature reserves, including Changqing in Shaanxi, Wuyi Mountain in Fujian, Yancheng in Jiangsu, Dongting Lake in Hunan.
- Many research centers: Center for East Asian — Australasian Flyway Studies, Science Unit of East Asian — Australasian Flyway Partnership Secretariat, National Innovation Alliance for Wetland Conservation and Restoration, National Innovation Alliance for Musk Deer Protection,Breeding and Utilization, China Great Bustard Conservation and Monitoring Network, Wildlife Research Institute of BFU, Institute of Forestry Response to Climate Change of BFU,Institute of Microbiology of BFU, Center for forest carbon accounting and monitoring of BFU, Wetland Research Center of BFU, Forest Health Center of BFU and Center for Value Appraisal of Wildlife and Products.
6. International Exchange and Cooperation
The School has established cooperation with strategic partner, including Oxford University, Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University, Tokyo University of Agriculture & Technology, University of Illinois and Australian National University, as well as UN and NGOs, e.g. UNEP(The United Nations Environment Program), UNDP(The United Nations Development Program), ITTO(The International Tropical Timber Organization), IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature), WWF (World Wildlife Fund), WPA (World Pheasant Association), FFI(Fauna & Flora International), CI(Conservation International), WI(Wetlands International), and TNC(The Nature Conservancy).
7. Graduates and their Career Development
The graduates of the school have been proved to be competitive with an excellent specialized training in nature conservation. The average employment rate in recent years is 93% for bachelors, among which 60% continued for graduate studies, and 96% for masters. What is more, many of them have become elites in public institutions, ranging from Chinese Academy of Sciences, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, universities, museums to nature reserves, enterprises and social institutions while some choose to be enrolled in distinguished universities abroad.
8. Contact us
Address: No. 159 Postbox
Beijing Forestry University
No.35 Qinghua East road, Haidian District
Beijing, 100083
China
Tel & Fax: 010-62336724
Official website:http://styzrbh.bjfu.edu.cn