Reporting from China: A fire has ravaged one of the world's most advanced projects for rainforest restoration projects following the Rainforestation Farming technology, previously presented in Tropentag conferences. The blaze conferred a biological damage of increased significance as many acres of precious forest were burned. An international delegation of researchers and sponsors had to make an emergency evacuation of the site as the fire engulfed the project, designed and implemented by the TianZi Biodiversity Research & Development Center, in collaboration with numerous international partners. Hundreds of local people have been fighting the blaze at the site of the project in the Bulang mountains of Xishuangbanna in the Yunnan Province of China, but they have been unable to prevent a severe loss of bio-culture. The fire was started deliberately either as occasional burning of rice fields, or to expand the territory of a neighboring cattle farm, but it was poorly managed and spread out of control on February 28, due to high temperatures and prevailing strong winds. The fire escaped controlled and entered the borders of the conservation estate, rapidly spreading with inferno-like flames. Over the previous four years, the Rainforestation model farm planted hundreds of indigenous tree species on the site of a former rubber plantation with the aim of restoring key environmental functions, including water retention and soil protection, while conserving and restoring local biodiversity. More than 90% of the 6 sq km estate has been destroyed. Initial estimations suggest the damage of more than 3.5m seedlings, 6 tons of seeds and a collection comprising of several thousands of living epiphytic orchid specimens. Follow the ongoing discussion on The Guardian Environment blog.