The Institute of Ecological Conservation and Restoration (IECR), Chinese Academy of Forestry (CAF), is a comprehensive, multi-discipline and public research institution.

The institute is principally engaged in the research of applied/basic sciences on the conservation and restoration of grassland, wetland and desert ecosystems, including processes and degradation mechanisms of the ecosystems, and the research and development of technologies for desertification, salinization, rocky desertification control, ecological restoration of degraded wetlands and grasslands, as well as the research on policies and strategies for ecological conservation and restoration; provides scientific and technological support for national ecological engineering construction such as the Great Green Wall Program, and provides technical assistance for the Chinese government to fulfill the United Nations Convention for Combating Desertification, the Ramsar Convention and other conventions.

The institute consists of four research centers, namely Wetland Research Center, Desertification Research Center, Grassland Research Center, and Saline-alkaline Land Research Center. The institute has established 19 research platforms, including the key laboratory of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, the national terrestrial ecosystem field observation and research station, and long-term research bases.