During May 4-6, 2018, the 17th China Ecology Congress and the 10th National Congress of Members of the Ecological Society of China (ESC) was held in Nanjing Forestry University. The Congress was sponsored by the Ecological Society of China (ESC) and undertaken by Nanjing Forestry University. 2,300 scientific and technical practitioners from 323 different institutions in the field of ecology in 31 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions attended the Congress. People attending the opening ceremony included Academician Li Wenhua, Academician Qin Dahe, Academician Cao Fuliang, Academician Wei Fuwen; Liu Yanbing, Deputy Director of the Academic Department of the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST); Jiang Jianqing, Secretary of Nanjing Forestry University (Undertaking Institution of the Congress); Professor Xue Jianhui, Honorary President of the Ecological Society of Jiangsu Province (co-organizer); Liu Shirong, President of ESC (Host of the Congress); and leaders of other relevant institutions. At the opening ceremony, President Liu Shirong briefly introduced the main work and landmark achievements made by ESC since the last session of Congress. Liu Yanbing, Deputy Director of the Academic Department of CAST, spoke highly of ESC's important contributions to China's ecological science development and social progress, and hoped ESC to constantly uphold the ecological civilization concepts of integrative development and benefit sharing, and promote the innovation and scientific development of ecological science. With the title "Pride, Confidence and Independence", Academician Li Wenhua reviewed the century-old development history of ecology discipline, and pointed out that as one of the most dynamic disciplines nowadays, conducting research on the frontier of science and social needs was the realistic way to promote the in-depth development of ecology discipline. Jiang Jianqing, Secretary of CPC Committee at the Nanjing Forestry University warmly welcomed the leaders, experts, representative to visit the Nanjing Forestry University; he said that Nanjing Forestry University hoped to take the Congress as an opportunity to work together with the like-minded people, serve the national strategic needs, be prepared to fight on the main battlefield of ecological civilization construction, be brave to take on heavy responsibilities, and put forth efforts to contribute wisdom and strength to building a green home and a beautiful China. The opening ceremony of the Congress was presided over by Ouyang Zhiyun, Vice President of ESC.

After the opening ceremony and before the closing ceremony, specially invited plenary presentations were delivered. The speakers (including Qin Dahe, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; Wei Fuwen, Academician of the Institute of Zoology (IOZ), CAS; Peng Saholin, Professor at the Sun Yat-Sen University; Xue Jianhui, Member of the National Committee of CPPCC, Honorary President of the Ecological Society of Jiangsu Province and Doctoral Supervisor at the Nanjing Forestry University; Dong Ming, Professor at the Hangzhou Normal University; Zhu Jiaojun, Researcher of the Institute of Applied Ecology (IAE), CAS; Zhou Qixing, Professor at Nankai University; Liu Hongyan, Professor at Peking University; Zheng Hua, Researcher of the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, CAS made wonderful plenary presentations on the following aspect: climate change science and sustainable development; wildlife conservation genomics; ecological restoration; agricultural ecology; population ecology; pollution ecology; vegetation construction; ecosystem services; etc.

This Congress was a high-level academic meeting in the field of ecology in China. Centering on the theme of "Innovating Ecological Science and Building a Beautiful China", 33 topics were set up, 381 thematic oral presentations were made, and 90 academic posters were exchanged. At the same time, the Congress held the "National Forum for Graduate Students Majored Ecology", and 263 graduate students made oral presentations. The academic presentations of experts, scholars and young students included not only the frontier and theoretical researches of ecology, but also the practices and applications of ecology. The wonderful speeches and exchanges left lasting and good memories for every participant. The Congress selected a total of 30 excellent presentation awards for postgraduates and 13 excellent poster awards. The Forum on Development Strategy and Practice of China's Ecological Science Popularization and the Forum on Integrated Innovation of Ecology and Entrepreneurs were also held during the Congress.

In the morning of 5th, the 10th National Congress of Members of the Ecological Society of China (ESC) was held, and the 10th Council and Board of Supervisors of ESC were elected. After the Congress, the 10th plenary meeting of the Board of Directors was held, and the 10th executive directors, vice presidents, president and secretary general were elected. The 10th standing council was held, and the relevant matters and key work of the 10th Council were discussed.

The closing ceremony of the Congress was presided over by Chen Liding, Secretary General of ESC. He made a brief summary of the Congress. The Congress mainly showed the following four features: 1) Rich academic contents. The specially invited plenary speakers delivered systematic and in-depth presentations by holding fast to the frontiers of ecology and reporting the important progress at home and abroad. The classified thematic presentations reflected the diversity of research directions and fully embodied the characteristics of interdisciplinary issues. 2) The scale of the Congress achieved a new breakthrough. This Congress reached a new high in terms of the number of registrations, the number of abstracts and the number of oral presentations, which fully reflected the wide popularity and recognition of ecology. 3) Young scholars became the dominant force on the front line of scientific research and as the speakers at the Congress, thus indicating the promising future of ecology in China. 4) The complexity of China's ecological and environmental issues determines the diversification of ecological research directions and methods in China. Chinese ecologists are playing an increasingly important role in solving national and regional ecological issues. The new President Ouyang Zhiyun delivered his victory speech, reviewed the development course and achievements of ESC, and indicated that he would constantly make efforts to build ESC into an international first-class society and make contributions to the national ecological civilization construction.

At the closing ceremony, the 3rd Advanced Collective of ESC, the 3rd Advanced Workers of ESC, the 5th Youth Science and Technology Award of ESC, the Excellent Presentation Award for Postgraduates and the Excellent Poster Award of the Congress were commended, and the leaders of ESC presented the honorary certificates to the winners. Secretary General Chen Liding announced to all the participants that the next Congress of ESC will be held in Yunnan, organized by the Yunnan University. Welcome to Kunming next year!

The successful 17th China Ecology Congress set up an adequate platform to display various achievements in the field of ecology in China. It provided convenience for the exchanges and cooperation in the field of ecology and related fields. It can not only promoted the exchanges and cooperation among Chinese experts and scholars in the field of ecology, but also demonstrated the research level of China's ecology, expanded the influence of China's ecology, and played a positive role in promoting the development of ecology.