Southern Ag Center

Urban forestry scientists from Chinese Academy of Forestry recently visited Baton Rouge to foster existing scientific exchange and research collaboration with Southern University and the Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center.

For more than 10 years, Southern University has been conducting US-China Scientific and Technical Exchange in Urban Forestry. This exchange has resulted in increased research collaboration and technology transfer with Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing Forestry University, Northeast Forestry University, State Forestry Administration, and Inner Mongolia Agricultural University of China.

To continue the exchange, Cheng Wang, Ph.D., Professor, Chief Scientist, and Director of Urban Forestry Research Division, and Guangfa Qie, Ph.D., Research Scientist at the Forestry Division at the Academy, traveled to Baton Rouge earlier this month.

The two toured Southern University's emerging urban forestry programs and met with Baton Rouge mayor-president Melvin "Kip" Holden. The visit included tour sessions geared toward presenting solutions to meet the needs of people in China's urban forestry and greening industry. They toured the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality air monitoring station, USDA-UV-B monitoring network's BR station, Nature's Best, Natural Resources Recovery, Inc., and other mulch commercialization sites.

"It is the goal of Southern University to provide opportunities for the Chinese scientists to witness some of the latest advancements in urban forest management, education and research, and technology transfer in Louisiana," said Walter Wiles, Ph.D., Director of the Center for International Development Programs at Southern University. "It is hoped that the exchange effort will strengthen future collaboration and partnerships with China, and generate economic impact that mutually benefit Louisiana specifically, the US and China," he said.

Southern University Ag Center chancellor Leodrey Williams, Water Wiles, Ph.D., Director of International Programs at SU, Yadong Qi, Ph.D., Professor in Urban Forestry, and Kit L. Chin, Ph.D., Professor in Horticulture, have been instrumental in promoting scientific and technical exchange in urban forestry between US-China.

Southern University's Urban Forestry Program is a Department of Excellence designated by the state's Board of Regents. It is the only comprehensive urban forestry program in the US. The Program offers bachelor's, masters, and doctoral degrees in urban forestry and has contributed significantly to the urban forestry workforce and minority education in the US. The Program has a strong research team focusing on urban forest science and management, equipped with a state-of-the-art research and educational facility.

The exchange is sponsored by the USDA-Foreign Agricultural Service and State Forestry Administration of P.R. China under the US-China Scientific and Technique Exchange Agreement.

Following the visit to Baton Rouge, Wang and Qie visited USDA-CSREES in Washington DC.

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Contact persons: Walter Wiles, Ph.D., Director, Center for International Development Programs, Southern University and A&M College, (225) 771-2008 or walter_wiles@sus.edu

Dr. Yadong Qi, Professor and Project Leader, Southern University Ag Center, (225) 771-2262 ext. 269 or yadong_qi@suagcenter.com