BIFoR FACE leads global collaboration to strengthen forest climate research infrastructure
BIFoR, via the Met Office partnership, led a major international upgrade of two of the world’s three forest FACE CO₂ enrichment sites.
The University of Birmingham’s Birmingham Institute of Forest Research (BIFoR), working through the University’s Met Office Academic Partnership, has played a central role in a major international upgrade of two of the world’s three forest Free-Air CO₂ Enrichment (FACE) facilities. The technical refresh - delivered with support from the Met Office and funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office - will significantly enhance global research capacity to understand how forests respond to rising atmospheric CO₂.
FACE facilities allow scientists to expose entire forest stands to elevated levels of CO₂ under natural conditions, generating crucial evidence about forest resilience, carbon uptake, and climate feedbacks. The upgrade centres on a new state-of-the-art CO₂ delivery and control system developed by Engineering Services & System Solutions specialists Transicon. First installed and tested at BIFoR FACE in Staffordshire, the software and hardware package has now been successfully transferred to the AmazonFACE site in Manaus, Brazil.
The new system replaces bespoke legacy components with industry-standard platforms, making operations more robust, improving compatibility with modern monitoring systems, and reducing long-term maintenance demands. By integrating CO₂ delivery and concentration monitoring into a single streamlined control environment, the upgrade also enhances real-time accuracy and efficiency for researchers.
Chief Engineers Maria Juliana Monte (AmazonFACE) and Thomas Downes (BIFoR FACE) led the hands-on collaboration. Two AmazonFACE technicians spent a week at BIFoR FACE in July 2025 to see the system in operation, followed by a reciprocal visit from Thomas Downes to AmazonFACE in October to support commissioning and training.
The rapid transfer of updated CO₂-delivery technology for global FACE facilities has gone superbly well. The world wins when environmental facilities share their knowledge and expertise. This project is an excellent example of how international cooperation accelerates our ability to tackle climate challenges.