Abstract: The 8^th International Canopy Conference was held in Yunnan, China from 15 to 19 October 2023. This conference brought together prominent researchers, practitioners, and students in canopy science worldwide. There were five main topics: structural characteristics of canopy biodiversity, species interactions in forest canopy, dynamics of matter and energy exchange at the canopy-atmosphere interface, biogeography of forest canopies, and the roles of forest canopies in environmental education and outreach services. By identifying and reviewing the emerging hot topics, we outlined the progress and trends in international canopy research. Currently, canopy science prioritizes understanding the responses of forest canopy to global change from various perspectives and scales and based on traditional empirical studies and systematic analysis of ecological processes. Future research in canopy science should focus on: (1) exploring the integrated roles of forest canopies within the atmosphere-canopy-ground-soil continuum at local to landscape scales through multidisciplinary collaborations and innovative technologies; (2) establishing standardized methods and data collection protocols to enhance data representativeness and comparability; (3) investigating ecosystem processes in forest canopies and their responses to global change; and (4) integrating and advancing environmental education within canopy science to promote the conservation of forest canopy biodiversity and the improvement of ecosystem services.

Key words: biodiversity, vertical stratification, epiphyte, canopy crane, environmental education