At the beginning of 2025, APFNet initiated two demonstration projects: the Demonstration on Sustainable Forest Management and Restoration in Hilly and Low Mountain Area of Southern China Project (Phase II), and the Hainan Tropical Forest Restoration and Sustainable Management Project. 

On January 21st, the initiation and the first project steering committee meeting of the project “Demonstration on Sustainable Forest Management and Restoration in Hilly and Low Mountain Area of Southern China (Phase II)” was held in Qingyang County, Chizhou City, Anhui Province. The project is led by the Forestry Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Forestry, with collaboration from the Department of Forestry in Lin’an City, Zhejiang Province, Anhui Academy of Forestry, Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University, and the Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute affiliated to the Chinese Academy of Forestry. With a total budget of USD 1.46 million, the project will run from 2025 to 2029, with about USD 1 million funded by APFNet.

Building on the achievements of Phase I, the second phase of the project will continue to select Lin’an City in Zhejiang Province and Qingyang County in Anhui Province as pilot demonstration sites. Following the SFM concept of “improving the quality and efficiency of secondary forests, managing plantation forests in close- to-nature approach, and diversifying forest resources,” the project will advance the quality of forest stands in the pilot areas by sampling the multifunctional restoration of secondary forests and the rehabilitation of inefficient plantation forests. Through demonstrating techniques for multifunctional restoration of secondary forests and rehabilitation of degraded forests, this project aims to improve forest quality in the project area, enhance local sustainable forest management technologies and capabilities give full play to the multiple functions of forests, and improve the livelihoods of forest dwellers, so as to provide a referencing model on sustainable forest management and forest rehabilitation for the Asia-Pacific region. 

On February 17th, the “Hainan Tropical Forest Restoration and Sustainable Management Project” was initiated at the APFNet Center for International Exchange in Tropical Forestry in Ledong County, Hainan Province. The project, sponsored by APFNet’s funding  of RMB 4.2 million, will explore models for tropical forest restoration and sustainable management in Jianfeng Town,ledong County with a five-year duration during 2025 to 2029.

Dr LU De, Executive Director of APFNet, delivered a keynote speech at the

launching ceremony for the “Hainan Tropical Forest Restoration and Sustainable Management Project”. (Photo/Ma Kun, APFNet).

Detailed action plans for tropical regions will be implemented through the following activities, including establishing demonstration zones for ecological restoration of eucalyptus, pine, and rubber tropical plantations; developing industrial development demonstration areas for tropical economic forests (i.e., betel nut, fruit); creating ecological monitoring, science education, and experiential demonstration zones for tropical rainforest; and conducting capacity-building initiatives. Ultimately, the project will contribute to the high-quality development of the forestry industry in Hainan and set up reference models for the restoration of vegetation and the utilization of forest resources in similar regions across the Asia-Pacific.  

For more project-related information, please visit:

Demonstration on Sustainable Forest Management and Restoration in Hilly and Low Mountain Area of Southern China (Phase I)

Demonstration on Sustainable Forest Management and Restoration in Hilly and Low Mountain Area of Southern China (Phase II)

Hainan Tropical Forest Restoration and Sustainable Management Project