During April 15 to 17, 2002, in Yangling, Shaanxi, ISWC held the International Symposium on Ecological Environment Rehabilitation and Sustainable Development in the Western China, under the sponsorship of CAS, co-sponsorship of Shaanxi Agricultural Comprehensive Development and Management Office.

More than 90 experts and scholars from foreign countries such as US, Australia, Sweden, New Zealand and Beijing, Shanghai, shaanxi, Sichuan and other ten domestic provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions attended the conference. During the 3-day conference, 4 internationally renowned experts made keynote speeches and 37 scholars gave reports at 3 other venues. The representatives made use of various methods, such as multimedia, ppt and data show to give presentations. The presentation and discussion were conducted in a solemn but warm atmosphere. Valuable research routes and theoretical bases for ecological rehabilitation and the protection of biodiversity in the western China were brought forward at the conference. All these suggestions would promote regional economic and social sustainable development and improve human living environment.

The conference has received 60 paper abstracts, revolving the issues to solve the problems concerning arid and hemi-arid farming, protection of biodiversity, water resource conservation and sustainable utilization, theories, models and technological routes for ecological rehabilitation in the western China. Under mutual efforts, the conference achieved expected goals.