Recently, Human Resource & Social Security Department and National Development & Reform Commission have jointly commended some individuals and units that made outstanding contribution to the western development of China. Oasis Ecology & Oasis Agriculture Laboratory of Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, CAS (hereinafter referred to as Oasis Laboratory) has been awarded as such an Outstanding Contribution Unit.

Since merged in July 1998, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, according to the actual conditions of Xinjiang, has taken oasis ecology and oasis agriculture as an important research field, and established Oasis Laboratory. For more than ten years, with the implementation of the western development strategy, Oasis Laboratory, relying on local government and people of all ethnic groups, has independently innovated and obtained a series of innovation achievements in the fields of protecting oasis ecology and developing oasis agriculture through hard and in-depth research. The achievements have greatly made the local government satisfied and the people of all ethnic groups beneficial.

 Over past 10 years, Oasis Laboratory has been awarded many prizes, such as the National Science and Technology Progress prize, Special-grade prize for Science and Technology Progress of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the first-grade prize of Science and Technology Progress. Many elites have emerged in Oasis Laboratory, including one national advanced worker, one labor medal achiever, one national outstanding technical worker and one outstanding contribution individual for western development of Science and Technology Association of China.