Beijing Forestry University (BFU) doctoral student Li Chengcheng from the College of Forestry has won the Top Prize at the FAO-led Youth Action in Forest Health: Asia-Pacific Competition. His pioneering research on using native Chinese trees to combat invasive pests earned high praise from an international judging panel representing 15 countries. 

After winning BFU's campus selection in April, Li secured victory at the international finals with his compelling 5-minute English presentation titled 'Gumming Up the Invaders: Russian Olive as a Dead-End Trap for Asian Longhorned Beetles.' His research uncovered the Russian olive tree's ecological potential as a natural trap for the destructive Asian longhorned beetle, highlighting BFU's leadership in ecological pest management and forest health protection. 

Co-organized by FAO and APFISN to address forest health crises, the competition attracted 160+ young scientists globally. As an showcase of BFU's "Global Youth Capacity Initiative" in training next-generation sustainability leaders, it is also a key outcome of our second-phase cooperation with the FAO. In the future, BFU will continue to support young students in the international stage, cultivating high-end talent for global sustainable development. 

Click here for competition results: https://www.fao.org/forestry/pests/news/detail/the-youth-action-in-forest-health--asia-pacific-competition---a-stage-for-young-forest-health-leaders/en

Written by Ren Lili, Zhang Duo
Translated and edited by Song He
Reviewed by Yu Yangyang