DR. PAN TAO

Dr. Pan Tao has been working in the sustainable urban development sector for over 15 years: he served as an expert for various international organizations such as the Clinton Foundation, the German Technical Cooperation (GIZ); and he is currently working as a manager for low carbon city programs in the Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC) of the US-China Partnership for Climate Action (PCA) program based in Shanghai. Pan Tao holds a PhD in Environmental Planning and Management (Nanjing University), a MSc on Environmental & Resource Management (University of Cottbus/Germany) and a BE on Geotechnical Engineering (Tongji University).

During his studies in Germany Pan Tao got inspired by the phenomena of ‘Schrebergarten’ (allotment gardens, invented by a 19th century naturopath called “Schreber”). Back in China, he was driven by the vision to realize a Chinese “Schrebergarten” and he set-up Ecoland Club, a family style membership farm in Fengxian District. The Ecoland Club farm is a family membership farm in Shanghai Fengxian district. It has a total area of 8.5 ha, divided into membership farms, rice field, and public activities area. The farm is a community where the members not only own private natural space but also work together to create a healthy life style. The farm provides fresh organic vegetables and organizes kids’ natural education program during the farm seasons.