On July 16, 2009, the launching ceremony of the Hubei Key Laboratory of Wetland Evolution and Ecological Recovery and the first meeting of the academic committee were convened at Wuhan Botanical Garden. Prof. Academician Cao Wenxuan, director of the academic committee and academician of Chinese Academy of Science (CAS), Mr. Zheng Chunbai, deputy dirctor-general of Hubei Science and Technology Department, and 17 members of the academic committee of the key laboratories from the CAS and universities attended the meeting. Administrative leaders and professors of ecology at Wuhan Botanical Garden also participated. The meeting was presided over by Prof. Zhang Quanfa, deputy director of Wuhan Botanical Garden.

Ms. Gong Junjie, deputy secretary of the communist party committee of Wuhan Botanical Garden, and Mr. Wang Yanxing, vice-president of China University of Geosciences (Wuhan) made addresses respectively on behalf of the supporting institutions of the key laboratory. Mr. Zheng Chunbai then made a speech and expressed his wishes that the two supporting institutions should strengthen coordination and share experiences in scientific research. The two supporting sides must make joint efforts to promote internal management of the provincial laboratory and create a favorable academic environment for scientific research. The goal of the provincial laboratory is to be a national key laboratory in 5 to 8 years and make a significant contribution to the research, conservation and sustainable use of wetland in China. Eventually, Zheng Chunbai awarded appointment letters to Academician Cao Wenxuan, director of the academic committee of the key laboratory (ACKL), Prof. Wang Yanxin, deputy director of the ACKL, Prof. Li Jianqiang, deputy director of the ACKL, Prof. Li Wei, director of the laboratory, and Prof. Ge Jiwen, deputy director of the laboratory. Deputy secretary of the communist party committee of Wuhan Botanical Garden and vice-president Wang Yanxin of China University of Geosciences (Wuhan) awarded letters of appointment to the members of the academic committee. Later on, director Li Wei presented an architect's perspective on the lab of the future. Two speakers Prof. Jiang Mingxi and Assistant Professor Gu Yansheng made two academic presentations at the end of the meeting, and the presentation titles were “Vegetation Recovery at the Riparian Zones of the Three Gorges Region” and “The Evolution Course of Wetland”, respectivley.

After the launching ceremony, the first meeting of the first academic committee of the key laboratory was convened. During the meeting, many suggestions had been proposed and discussed, including the direction of research and development, research areas and goals, management system, lab research evaluation, and domestic and overseas communication and cooperation.