forewordacknowledgementsacronyms and abbreviationsexecutive summary 1. two dragons go to the sea2. shifting conifer plantations towards close-to-nature forests3. growing a close-to-nature forest ofcastanopsis hystrix4. growing a close-to-nature forest of michelia macclurei5. betula alnoides and castanopsis hystrix mixed-species uneven-aged forest6. erythrophleum fordii and pinus massoniana mixed-species forest clusters7. the restoration of degraded subtropical forest8. the rehabilitation of degraded subtropical karst ecosystemsintroduetion1. the experimental center of tropical forestry2. the pingxiang rosewood market3. china's reforestation programme4. the ectf's multifunctional, close-to-nature forest researchcase study 1: two dragons go to the sea 1. background2. the experimental site3. the management model4. benefitscase study 2: shifting conifer plantations towards close-to-nature forests 1. background2. the experimental site3. the management model4. benefitscase study 3: growing a close-to-nature forest of castanopsis hystrix1. background2. the experimental site3. the management model4. benefitscase study 4: growing a close-to-nature forest of michelia macclurei1. background2. the experimental site3. the management model4. benefits case study 5: betula alnoides and castanopsis hystrix mixed-speciesuneven-aged forest 1. background2. the experimental site3. the managementmodel4. benefitscase study 6: erythrophleum fordii and pinus massoniana mixed-speciesforest clusters1. background2. the experimental site 3. the management model4. benefitscase study 7: the restoration of degraded subtropical forest1. background2. the restoration model3. restoration practice4. statuscase study 8: the rehabilitation of degraded subtropical karstecosystems1. background2. the restoration model3. statusconclusion