The green gems of Yunnan

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Rare plant species such as Parashorea chinensis, a tropical tree, and Clerodendrum brachystemon, a small evergreen shrub, have already been introduced into campuses and streetscapes as part of the "Three Entries" initiative.

The botanical garden launched the initiative for rare and endangered plants, incorporating them in street settings, communities, and cities, to enhance public awareness and promote biodiversity conservation.

"If rare and endangered species can become common plants in everyday life, it will significantly lower the risk of them being illegally harvested or uprooted in the wild," Xing, director of the botanical garden, said. "This approach can be applied nationwide."

The botanical garden features 39 living collections and is home to over 17,000 species of tropical plants, including more than 1,000 rare and endangered species.

"Our goal is to collect at least 80 percent of the rare and endangered tropical species found nationwide," Xing said.

A comprehensive system has been developed to cover the entire process — from species introduction and conservation to scientific research, rapid propagation, and reintroduction into the wild — effectively achieving off-site conservation.

Additionally, the garden has collaborated with major protected areas to develop an integrated system that combines both on-site and off-site conservation.

Xing said the botanical garden is actively working toward establishing itself as a national-level botanical garden, with the goal of focusing on conservation efforts within China's tropical regions, broadly covering Southeast Asia, and extending its reach to tropical areas around the globe.

In recent years, the botanical garden has maintained close collaboration with research institutions in Southeast Asian countries.

In 2015, CAS' Southeast Asia Biodiversity Research Institute was established at the botanical garden. So far, it has conducted multiple joint scientific expeditions with Southeast Asian scientific institutions, during which many new plant species have been discovered, and species introduced into new regions.

In addition, numerous jointly funded research projects have been conducted, including studies in evolutionary and conservation biology.

"With the efforts of the Southeast Asia Biodiversity Research Institute, progress is being made in compiling the flora of Laos and the flora of Myanmar," said Xing.

To protect some special species, the botanical garden has also taken the lead in forming several conservation alliances, such as the Global Conservation Consortium for Dipterocarps, aiming to bring together the world's dipterocarp (tall hardwood tropical trees mainly from Southeast Asia) experts, conservationists, and the botanic garden community to ensure that no wild dipterocarp species becomes extinct.

In addition to promoting biodiversity conservation, the botanical garden is also engaged in livelihood projects across Southeast Asian countries, primarily focusing on the promotion of resource plants like upland rice.

"These projects aim to boost the local economic development while collaborating on research to strengthen conservation efforts," said Xing.