Hug the trees

Nature education is new in China, but a start has been made by some individuals and NGOs. They are reaching out to students, especially. Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden is a leading light in this new field of endeavour.

Many people know and have been to Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden because the garden, nestled on a river island near the small town Menglun, has been one of the major tourist attractions in the prefecture in Yunnan province.

However, few know that under the charge of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, it is one of the country's best botanical gardens known for its research and conservation of tropical plants. Fewer know that along with the rise of Chinese people's environmental awareness, it has become one of the country's strongholds to promote nature education.