Looking Back
It’s been a little over a week since returning home and getting back to work at APGA. I’ve had an opportunity to sort through my photos and my impressions of this incredible trip. 
It was privilege to see China firsthand and to learn more about their efforts to inventory and conserve an amazing flora. Wuhan is off the beaten tourist track which gave us a glimpse of regular people going about their daily lives. I enjoyed my evening walks overlooking a wetland populated by Metasequoia, Wuhan’s official tree.
The staff of the Wuhan Botanical Garden at the Academy of Sciences, under the leadership of Professor Hongwen Huang, did a fantastic job organizing this logistically complex meeting. 
I was impressed with their foresight in recruiting 100+ university students as volunteers. They worked long hours through the week and were unfailingly enthusiastic, going out of their way to be helpful. I’m hoping APGA might emulate this approach for its annual conferences.
The Congress provided an excellent opportunity for us to meet colleagues from all over the world to compare notes and learn about different approaches to common issues. 
A typical gathering for a meal such as the banquet feast mid-week included representatives from Australia, Oman, USA, China, the Netherlands, and Sudan. As at APGA conferences, formal programs and informal networking were equally productive. Sara Oldfield, Secretary General of BGCI, discussed their recently published red list of Magnoliaceae with me during an ad hoc meeting, enlisting APGA help in inventorying our members’ ex situ collections as part of a global effort. APGA members made contributions throughout the week, from plenary sessions of Peter Raven and Kay Havens (pinch-hitting for Peggy Olwell, US Bureau of Land Mgmt), to David Galbraith facilitating discussion during the North American networking meeting, and Larry DeBuhr, Steve Clemants, Caroline Lewis, Larry Mellichamp, and Ailene Kane among those giving presentations and moderating sessions.
This really was a trip of a lifetime. 
I came away from the experience having grown both professionally and personally with many new ideas to share with others. It has given me a greater understanding and appreciation of China – its plants, gardens, culture, and people. It also has re-affirmed my belief that – while faced with daunting changes in global climate, population growth, and an often uncomprehending public – botanical gardens and arboreta throughout the world can make an impact if we work together toward building a sustainable future.
