Beijing Forestry University recently held the "2026 Spring International Symposium on Forest Ecosystems". President Li Zhaohu attended and delivered a welcome address. The event brought together nearly 200 scholars from nine countries including China, the United States, Canada, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Greece, Japan, and India, along with participants from nearly 60 Chinese universities and research institutes. The symposium was live-streamed online, attracting over 23,000 views. 

President Li extended a warm welcome to all participants and highlighted BFU's key progress in forest ecosystem research and biodiversity conservation. He noted that BFU remains committed to serving China's national strategy on ecological civilization and to advancing high-level international cooperation. As a major international academic platform hosted by BFU, the journal Forest Ecosystems plays an active role in promoting global exchanges in forest ecology research. This symposium represents a concrete step in fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and international partnerships, while also advancing the development of world-class scientific journals under China's "Excellent Action Plan for Scientific Journals". 

The symposium was initiated by Forest Ecosystems, the international journal sponsored by BFU, and focused on the theme "Advances in Forest Ecosystem Phosphorus Cycling Research". The program featured three thematic sessions with 14 invited keynote speakers, systematically presenting the latest frontiers and overall landscape of forest phosphorus cycling research. Topics covered soil phosphorus biogeochemistry, plant nutrient acquisition and utilization strategies, microbial regulation mechanisms, and carbon‑phosphorus coupling under global change—demonstrating the field’s evolution from fundamental theory to multi‑scale integrated applications. 

The symposium further strengthened the integration of the journal's brand development with BFU's "Double First‑Class" discipline construction, significantly enhancing the academic influence of both BFU and the journal in the international forest ecology community. Moving forward, BFU will continue to leverage its high‑impact scientific journals and research platforms to deepen international collaboration, drive breakthroughs in forest ecosystem research, and contribute to ecological civilization and global sustainable development. 

Written by Li Hui
Translated and edited by Song He
Reviewed by Yu Yangyang