During Nov 6th to 7th, 2008, Dr. Rolston, a famous expert from New Zealand specialized in grassland ecology, visited Huanjiang Research and Observation Station of Karst Ecosystem, ISA, CAS.

Dr. Rolston visited successively experimental areas of soil erosion process, pasture, crops, weather information systems, the laboratory and research achievements exhibition, and an experimental demonstration area for Karst rocky desertification restoration at village of Guzhou, Huanjiang County, Guangxi province. Dr. Rolston highly appraised the role of grass - livestock - biogas model for Karst rocky desertification restoration. Considering the forage shortage for small farmer household in winter, Dr. Rolston demonstrated the skills in silage production, winter pasture rotation and other aspects. On the basis of the soil and climatic conditions in Northwest Guangxi Karst region, Dr. Rolston put forward some valuable suggestions on water cycling processes of Karst ecosystem, the introduction of high-quality forage species, and seasonal forage varieties and their rotation modes with other crops. As a famous scientist of the New Zealand Royal Agricultural Institute and a part-time professor of Lincoln University, Dr. Rolston introduced the research fields and advantages of the New Zealand Royal Agricultural Institute, and the relevant policies on the exchanges of foreign students of the Royal Agricultural Institute and Lincoln University. The cooperation and exchanges among ISA, the New Zealand Royal Agricultural Institute and Lincoln University have been further strengthened by Dr. Rolston's visit. (November 10th, 2008)