On June 26, 2023, the School of Ecology and Environment of IMU held the ceremony for signing the cooperation agreement with the Administration of the National Nature Reserve of Helan Mountains on co-building the station for the field scientific observation and research of the complex ecosystem in Helan Mountains. The ceremony was chaired by Gao Dong, member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Committee of Alxa Left Banner and deputy head of Alxa Left Banner government. Present at the ceremony were Liu Zhiyu, secretary of IMU CPC Committee， Erhembayar, member of IMU CPC Committee and vice president of IMU, Zhang Xiaofeng, member of Alxa League CPC Committee and deputy head of Alxa League, Zhang Baocheng, head of the Publicity Department of Alxa League CPC Committee, Jing Jianfeng, director of the Office of Party and Administration Council of IMU and dean of the School of Philosophy of IMU, Wang Qin, director of the Division of Development and Planning of IMU, Niu Yiding, director of the Division of Science and Technology of IMU, Dahurbayar, director of the Office of Humanities and Social Sciences of IMU and Alatan Bulag, dean of the School of Ethnology and Sociology. After the ceremony, both sides had discussions about their further cooperation.

Helan Mountains are an important shield for ecological security in Huanghe River valley in northwestern area of China, which is vital for wind prevention and sand fixation. The mountains are also the valuable germplasm resources pool in the arid area of northwestern area of China and the significant place where type specimen are from. They are eulogized as “natural gene pool”. In order to better protect the biodiversity, completeness and originality of the ecosystem in Helan Mountains, IMU and Alxa will aim at the latest developments of ecology, biology and science of environment at home and abroad and such practical problems as the environmental protection and high-quality development in Inner Mongolia to carry out the field scientific positioning, observation and research of the complex ecological system of mountainous land, steppe and desert, provide scientific basis for the effective protection and administration of the natural heritage like biodiversity and historical and cultural heritage and theoretical and data support for the ecological protection and high-quality development in Huanghe River valley and boost the development of such disciplines as ecology, biology and environment science and engineering.

The signing of the agreement helps to establish the platform for IMU and Alxa to conduct academic and scientific research and information exchange. The signing is the reflection to implement the ecological philosophy of “Man and nature are the community of life; man have to respect nature and live in harmony with nature; nature has to be protected.” It is also the practice to better protect Helan Mountains and advance the ecological protection and high-quality development in Huanghe River valley.