On the 50th Anniversary Ceremony of Xishuangbann Tropical Botanical Garden, CAS

By He Shan'an
Updated: 2009-07-10 14:16

At first, I would like be on behalf of IABG to express my sincere congratulations to Banna Garden for their success in setting up such a wonderful tropical botanical garden in the remote region in China.

I have been working in botanical garden for more than 55 years. Working with Chinese botanical gardens for over half a century, I may say that my breath and my pulse have closely related with the rhythm of the development of Chinese botanical gardens. I felt that the difficulties in Banna Garden as just what I faced and, today, in the depths of my heart I was glad from to share the happiness of the great ceremony with "Banna-man".

In the mi-1990's, Chinese economy has been approaching to "moderate prosperous" and there were much more funds from State and Regional governments for the construction of botanical gardens. It caused a rapid development of botanical gardens in China again. The topics of what is the criterion, how to evaluate and how to organize a "First Class" botanical garden were strongly studied by Chinese botanical gardens. Today, I would like to say the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden as we can see, we can touch and where we are in is a "First Class" botanical garden in China and even in the world, too. It is a strong pillar of Chinese botanical garden system and the huge umbrella of botanical gardens in the southwestern China. Looking at the tropical botanical gardens in the world it seems the Banna Garden has, to a certain extent, the leading function in some aspects. Chinese botanical garden system is proud of having the Banna Garden.

On the 50th Anniversary Ceremony of Xishuangbann Tropical Botanical Garden, CAS

Palm Garden

In Banna Garden, hundreds of scientific achievements have been conducted and many of them possess new discoveries and creative significance, and many of them are comprehensive studies with multiple disciplines. It perfectly indicated the unique function of botanical garden with a richness of biodiversity.

In Bnana G, there are thousands of documented living collections, especially those introduced from wild, conserved with traditional methods and advanced biotech. It is the gene pool of strategical plant resources for China and for human being.

In Banna Garden, there are a lot of achievements of the exploration and utilization of tropical economic plants, especially the medicinal plants, completed by their scientific researchers. The garden has played a creative role for national economic development and people’s health as well as for improvement of living conditions and enhancing civilization of local communities.

In Banna Garden, there is a series of scientific popularization and tourism activities. It is strongly attractive, and full of interesting knowledge and various mysteries of nature. It has produced both practical and historical significance in conserving the cultures of native nations and promoting the progress of communities in the remote region of the country.

Though located in the remote region, Banna Garden has become the important base for international exchange because of their sincere welcome and hospitality, nice environment and perfect scientific achievements.

Banna Garden is the GREAT EXPLOITS FOREVER contributed by Banna-man for Chinese people.

In conclusion, the major reason for the success of Banna Garden is the excellent team of professional staffs. It is commonly aware it is not a easy job to set up such a botanical garden and, usually, budget is the foremost thing to be concerned about. Actually, the professional team for botanical garden is even more important than budget. In fact, it is necessary to pay attention equally to both "budget" and "team". The importance of human resource could never be neglected. Material and financial resources could be obtained in one day but the growth of expert team would follow the rule of "for talent, hundred years".

It is very difficult for the botanical garden itself to make the team to work for long in such a remote region, Banna, and we are very grateful to the wise and far-sighted decision and policy, of CAS and the care from CCP and State and local governments. It ensured the stability of the professional team and the birth of the great garden. It made their everyday work convert to the great practice and realized the magnificent goal.

To build up a "First Class" botanical garden is difficult and to maintain a botanical garden at "First Class" sustainable is more difficult. Hopefully, Banna Garden would focus continuously on exploration and utilization of plant resources and would not lower its enthusiasm for this subject because of the current hot point of conservation. For professional team it is necessary to have three parts: scientific researchers, technicians and gardeners, and managers. It could not be a "First Class" botanical garden without Ph Doctors and SCI papers and it is the same it could not be a "First Class" botanical garden without superior technicians and gardeners. In addition, it is also necessary to have a knowledgeable, efficient and responsible administrative team.

On the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Banna Garden, it is surely for us to think about the elder generation who initiated the botanical gardens, including Academician Wu Zhenyi and the passed professor Cai Xitao etc. They rooted in the remote region and they are a group of selfless and very dedicated scientists with high strategical far-sight. There are their successors, professors Xu Zaifu and Chen Jin etc, who are leading the way to make progress in Banna Garden day by day.

Have more glorious achievement and a more wonderful Banna Garden under the leadership of the Director Dr. Chen Jin!