The Forest Ecosystems Research Centre FZW is the only ecosystem research centre in Germany focusing on forest research from a global change and usage perspective. It is involved in and coordinates research projects investigating forest ecosystems, their structure and function, interdependencies between forest ecosystems and their environment including global climate change and to the economic evaluation of ecological issues. The centre is a collaborative institution supported by 12 departments from three faculties (Forestry Science and Forest Ecology, Biology and Geosciences) at the University of Göttingen.

The centre avails of unique data and measurements of immense scientific value through its maintenance of ca. 40 year-old long-term experimental plots (Solling, Harz. Göttingen Forest), the related meteorological measuring stations and the “Roof experiment at Solling” which has been running for over 20 years. Currently, the centre coordinates several third-party funded projects (BMBF DFG, EU, DBU, FNR and the State of Lower Saxony) which involve both university departments and non-university partners such as North-West German Forestry Experimental Institution (Nordwesdeutsche Forstliche Versuchsanstalt NW-FVA) and the Johann-Heinrich von Thünen-Institute (vTI).