On September 5, 2010, the first Editorial Board Meeting of Journal of Arid Land (JAL) was held in Urumqi. The director of Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography (XIEG), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the editor-in-chief of JAL, Professor Chen Xi, another editor-in-chief, Professor Li Bailian, University of California, Riverside, the associate editor-in-chief, Professor Michael F. Allen, University of California, Riverside, a member of Editorial Board, Professor Roman Jashenko, Institute of Zoology, Kazakhstan, and the director assistant Yue Lingsheng, Periodical Publishing Center of Science Press, were invited to attend the meeting. Academician Qin Dahe, as a consultant of JAL, had a conversation with Professor Chen Xi and the editor staff of JAL before the meeting. He commended JAL and gave good suggestions to JAL.

Professor Tian Changyan, the deputy director of XIEG presided over the meeting. Firstly, Professor Chen Xi, on behalf the Institute, expressed his congratulation to the meeting and appreciation to the members of Editorial Board. Chen Xi indicated that the JAL played an important role in the international scientific communication of Central Asia countries. He wished that the journal could be better and better under the support of all members of Editorial Board. Subsequently, Professor Li Bailian briefly introduced the plans of collaboration with the international press organization and the optimization of editorial staff of JAL. Mr. Yue Lingsheng said that Science Press would further propagate JAL and promote the development of JAL. Executive associate editor-in-chief, Professor Qian Yibing, reported the publication progress of JAL, the main problems existed in the development of JAL, the planning of JAL, and the rights and obligations of the member of the Editorial Board, etc. The members of the Editorial Board gave many good suggestions in the aspects of the development, publicization, improving the impact of JAL, and SCI Index of journals.