Jiangmen, a member city of the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), is a National Forest City renowned for its picturesque landscapes, rich biodiversity, and pristine ecological environment. This year, the city introduced Dipterocarpus alatus, a rare tree species, to further enhance its plant diversity.

As an iconic species of tropical rainforests, Dipterocarpus alatus is highly valued in the international timber market for its large diameter, high quality, and excellent resistance to water and decay. Since 2002, Jiangmen has participated in national research on dipterocarp introduction. Findings have shown that Heshan, in Jiangmen, shares strong ecological similarities with the species’ native habitat, making it a suitable site for trial planting. In 2003, seven dipterocarp species from Thailand and Vietnam were planted in Heshan.

After more than two decades of acclimatization and observation, the first batch of Dipterocarpus alatus trees has produced seeds—an important indicator that the species has completed its full life cycle, from survival to reproduction, in Jiangmen and is now officially established in the region. Looking ahead, Jiangmen plans to plant 50,000 Dipterocarpus alatus saplings for afforestation. Research will also be conducted on asexual propagation to enable large-scale cultivation, making a significant contribution to ecological development in the GBA.