A REDDITCH woman who carries out crucial experiments on trees to help in the fight against climate change has shared her vital work at COP26.
Anna Gardner is a doctoral researcher of tree physiology at the Birmingham Institute of Forest Research at the University of Birmingham.
The 28-year-old spends up to 14 hours day among the treetops at a unique giant outdoor forest-scale experiment in Staffordshire, where she measures the leaf responses to changes in the environmental conditions such as light, temperature and humidity.
Her work is part of a Free Air Carbon Enrichment Experiment, where scientists expose a mature oak forest to CO2 levels expected in 2050.
The data collected by Anna is crucial to help scientists understand how much carbon trees and forests can store in future predicted climate scenarios.
The former South Bromsgrove High School pupil won a competition to showcase her work at the COP26 in Glasgow, which she described as an “incredible experience”.
As well as teaming up with an artist and filmmaker to produce an art and science exhibition, Anna also got the chance to present her work as part of the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) exhibit.
Now back from Glasgow, Anna said: “As a scientist we spend days, weeks and years locked away experimenting and researching which can be quite isolating. So to be able to share our findings and work together on the next generation of science is really important.
“Ultimately the work of scientists is to collect the data and inform people of results, this then feeds into government decisions and policy-making at those much higher levels.
"I am hoping that COP26 will provide the momentum needed to create change for both now and our future. We need to work together at the global scale for decarbonisation to finally begin and I think COP26 will both enable and encourage this.”
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