The Firs environmental research station

Situated in the heart of the University’s Fallowfield campus is a green oasis for research, teaching and community engagement.

Discover more about each of our areas of activity:

About the Firs

The Firs traces its history at The University of Manchester back to 1887, when the house and grounds were bequeathed by Sir Joseph Whitworth. With over 100 years of active research, it is the longest continuously running research facility at the University. The site is home to the Firs Environmental Research Station and the University’s Living Plant Collection.

The Firs Environmental Research Station comprises a new state of the art greenhouse facility and laboratory, the Manchester Air Quality Supersite and outdoor experimental areas.

The University’s Living Plant Collection is a unique and historic resource curated within a range of glass-house biomes and botanical grounds.

The mission, to provide a green oasis in Manchester, researching, educating and engaging the community about biodiversity, food security and the environment.

Meet the team

Oliver Hughes - Site Manager

Oliver started his career as an undergraduate in Environmental Sciences in Manchester, during which time he started his long-running love affair with the Firs. Following a PhD at Manchester Metropolitan University, studying plant conservation, in particular looking at orchid species, he came to the Firs, initially as horticultural technician before becoming site manager in 2023.
Osian Thierry - Horticultural Technician

Osian recently took up the role of Horticultural Technician at the Firs, bringing his background in Landscape Architecture with an MLA from the University of Sheffield and Horticultural training with the RHS to the team. He has a particular interest in Sustainable Horticulture and Climate Resilient Landscape Design.
Megan O'Dowd - Apprentice Horticultural Technician

Megan is the Apprentice Horticultural Technician at the Firs, building on her knowledge of plants, nature and horticultural practices after completing an integrated masters degree in Geography from The University of Sheffield.
Giles Johnson - Academic Director

Giles is professor of Environmental Plant Physiology in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences. His research focusses on plant responses to environmental stress, in particular investigating ways crop productivity can be secured in changing climates.
Duncan Cameron - Chair of the Steering Group

Duncan is professor of Environmental Sustainability in the Manchester Institute for Biotechnology. His research studies research seeks to understand how soil microbes enhance plant nutrition and health in the context of sustainable agriculture and global food security. Dunc is active in science policy and for having previously given evidence at the UN climate negotiations in Paris in 2015 and again in Marrakesh in 2016. Dunc is a passionate science communicator working with painters, sculptors, musicians and performance artists to develop (and perform in) artworks and stage shows that explore food security and environmental sustainability for both adults and children.