Rules on rare plants a boon for botanists

State Council revision streamlines approval process for those taking a walk on the wildside

Shen Jianyong's job requires a lot of patience. As a botanist, he has spent countless hours searching for rare plants in the wilds of Southwest China - and sometimes months waiting for the government to give him permission to take a sample.

His research team is charged with collecting and preserving wild plants, including endangered species, for the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden in Yunnan province.