ForestGEO, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

The Forest Global Earth Observatory (ForestGEO), previously known as Center for Tropical Forest Science (CTFS), is a global network of forest research sites and scientists dedicated to the study of tropical and temperate forest function and diversity. The multi-institutional network comprises 67 forest research sites across the Americas, Africa, Asia, Europe, and Oceania. ForestGEO monitors the growth and survival of approximately 6 million trees and nearly 13,000 species that occur in the forest research sites. ForestGEO also supports initiatives in the forest sites to monitor climate, carbon flux, vertebrates, insects, soil microorganisms, and much more.

ForestGEO was established to fully represent the global-scale forest network, which now contains forest research sites in tropical and temperate climatic zones. Today, the intensity and scale of the network remains unprecedented in forest science. In addition to the tree censuses that track the growth and mortality of trees in every forest site, ForestGEO pursues several scientific initiatives to study carbon fluxes, the impacts of climate change on biodiversity, and forest function.