Located at the foot of Yuquan Hill in the northwestern suburb of Beijing, the Chinese Academy of Forestry (CAF) was founded on October 27, 1958. It predecessor can be traced back to the Forest Cultivation Experimental Farm of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry established in 1912 by the Northern Government. CAF was once merged with Chinese Academy of Agriculture Sciences in the 1970s before its restoration to the independent status form April of 1978.

The Chinese Academy of Forestry is a multi-discipline , comprehensive and public interests research institution affiliated to the State Forestry Administration. The academy has 9 research institutes, 4 experimental centers and 3 research and development centers, which are located in 10 provinces of China. Its main tasks are set as follows: to be principally engaged in forest research of applied sciences while conducting its due research of applied basic sciences, high and new technology, developmental research and research of soft sciences; to address the scientific and technological issues that bear overall, comprehensive, crucial and fundamental magnitudes as well as to serve the needs of forestry modernization. Research interests cover all forestry-related subjects, including basic researches on seeds, seedlings and forests, forest plants, insects and animals, forest pest control, forest ecosystems, forestry inventory and management, wood industry, chemical processing of forest products, and wood pulp and papermaking, utilization of forest products, application of new and advanced technologies, such as gene engineering, biotechnology, remote sensing, geographical information system, global positioning system, system engineering and information network. Since its founding in 1958, CAF's scientific and technological level has been remarkably improved and the comprehensive strength has been increasingly enhanced. As a result, CAF has become a national forestry research institution with basically complete disciplines, numerous qualified professionals and good research conditions.

There is a staff team of strong basis, high level and reasonable structure in CAF. The number of scientists and technicians is 1636, of which the number of senior researchers is 667, and there are 113 doctoral and master instructors, 3 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 2 academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. CAF is entitled to the conferment of doctor degree in 8 subjects and to the conferment of master degree in 13 subjects. So far, 8 key ministerial laboratories, which are open to the public and 2 national research centres of forestry engineering technology, have been established.

CAF is principal implementing and organizing institution for the important forestry research projects. By the end of 2000, CAF has totally gained over 1000 scientific and technological results and published over 200 different kinds of monographs and translated books, Since 1978,over 500 awards for different achievements have been obtained. Over 70% scientific and technological results have been extended and applied to production, and it has gained remarkable economic, social and ecological benefits.

CAF has become an international forestry research institution by deepening system reform, optimizing the deployment of resources, improving the ability of creation and strengthening integrated capacity.