In November 2025, Beijing Forestry University (BFU) and the Wuhan Municipal Landscape Gardens and Forestry Bureau jointly held a workshop in Wuhan on the conservation of urban wetlands and migratory birds. Vice President Cheng Wu led a BFU delegation to the event, which gathered over 100 experts, officials, and practitioners to explore collaborative governance strategies.

In his address, Cheng Wu highlighted BFU's commitment to ecological civilization and global environmental governance through international cooperation. He cited the establishment of the Flyway University Alliance (FUA) with 21 partners from 13 countries and the recent Wuhan Branch Center of the Center for East Asian-Australasian Flyway Studies as key examples of this effort. He further highlighted the establishment of the Wuhan Branch Center of the Center for East Asian-Australasian Flyway Studies at the Chen Lake Wetland, which has contributed to deepening regional coordination.

Jennifer George, Chief Executive of the EAAFP Secretariat, delivered remarks online, commending China's achievements in flyway conservation and BFU's contributions to the Partnership. Lei Guangchun, Chair of FUA, delivered a keynote speech on the scientific pathways for coordinated conservation, showcasing innovative applications of AI and big data. Presentations were also given by Professor Peter Bridgwater from the Australian National University on international case studies, and by Duncan Lang from the Asian Development Bank on the regional Flyway Initiative.

The workshop featured dedicated sub-forums. Professor Ding Changqing chaired a session on Baer's Pochard conservation, sharing progress and facilitating exchanges on monitoring and management. Associate Professor Zeng Qing chaired the launch meeting for the National Synchronized Wintering Survey of the Scaly-sided Merganser, where representatives from across China developed the 2025/2026 survey plan.

The workshop has injected fresh impetus into the collaborative conservation of urban wetlands and migratory bird flyways in China. BFU will continue to work closely with domestic and international partners to advance coordinated wetland conservation.

Written by Zeng Qing, Zhang Yangsirui
Translated by Wang Yannan
Edited by Song He
Reviewed by Yu Yangyang