The Ecological Society of China (ESC) is a non-profit, multidisciplinary organization of scientists and practitioners founded in 1979. The ESC aims to promote ecological science in China and beyond, the public’s level of awareness of its importance, and its application in environmental decision making. The ESC is a member of the China Association for Science and Technology, and joined the International Association for Ecology (INTECOL) in 1984.

The ESC was founded in Kunming in December 1979. Dr. Ma Shijun was elected as the first President and re-elected for a second term. Drs. Sun Ruyong, Chen Changdu, Wang Zuwang, Li Wenhua, Wang Rusong, and Liu Shirong served successively as the third to ninth presidents. The 10th National Member Congress was held in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province in May 2018, and Dr. Ouyang Zhiyun was elected as the 10th President. The ESC is now affiliated with the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The ESC currently has more than 11,000 members, including ecologists, decision-making and management personnel, entrepreneurs from all over the country, and overseas Chinese scholars. It consists of various professional committees, covering fields such as agricultural ecology, urban ecology, theoretical ecology, marine ecology, microbial ecology, animal ecology, chemical ecology, landscape ecology, wetland ecology, population ecology, ecological engineering, long-term ecology, ethnic ecology, ecological health and human ecology, pollution ecology, tourism ecology, ecological hydrology, Chinese medicine resource ecology, freshwater ecology, mangrove ecology, stable isotope ecology, ecological remote sensing, biological invasion, watershed ecology, industrial ecology, regional ecology, ecological meteorology, ecology restoration, alpine ecology, sustainable ecology, etc. The ESC also has five working committees: youth, science, education, periodicals, and consulting working committees, and manages 8 professional academic journals, namely Ecology Journal, Applied Ecology Journal, Ecology Magazine, Wetland Science, Ecosystem Health and Sustainability, Journal of Forestry Research, Journal of Resources and Ecology, and Ecological Processes.

The ESC Office is responsible for the organization and implementation of various routine activities of the Society and the management of affairs. There are departments for organization development, academic exchanges, popular science education and periodicals, and technology consulting.

The principles of ESC:

●Comply with the Constitution, laws, regulations and national policies, and follow social morals;

●Pull together the vast number of ecological science workers, implement the policy of "Let a hundred flowers bloom, a hundred schools of thought contend", adhere to the principle of democratic running, fully promote academic democracy, and conduct academic discussions;

●Advocate dialectical materialism, adhere to the science-oriented spirit and attitude and the good learning atmosphere of seeking truth from facts, pioneering and innovating, and advancing with the times;

●Advocate the spirit of “openness, democracy, collaboration, and innovation”, prosper ecological science undertakings, promote ecological construction, and raise the national ecological awareness. For the implementation of the national sustainable development, and rejuvenating the country through science and education of the two strategic goals, to serve the construction of national ecological civilization, and to build a beautiful China and realize the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.　

ESC missions:

●Promote ecological science by improving academic exchanges and communication among ecologists in China and abroad;

●Raise the awareness of ecological science by popularizing ecological science knowledge, disseminating ecological thinking, and promoting ecological technology;

● Edit, publish and distribute ecological science and technology books and periodicals and related audio-visual products;

●Organize ecologists to participate in the formulation of national eco-environmental construction policies, laws and regulations, and scientific decision-making;

●Conduct scientific demonstrations and scientific and technological consultations on major decisions in national economic construction, put forward policy recommendations, and promote non-governmental international scientific and technological cooperation;

●Identify membership qualifications and carry out continuing education and training for members and scientific and technical personnel;

●Organize activities for ESC members;

●Strengthen the organization of the society, develop and expand membership.