OXFORDSHIRE The biggest field investigation into how climate change affects trees was announced yesterday as part of a multimillion-pound project to combat global warming.

Thousands of volunteers will join scientists around the world to gather data on carbon absorption rates. The aim is to build a picture of the likely impact on forests of changing weather patterns over the next century.

The scheme is one of a series planned by HSBC with environmental groups. The bank will spend £50 million investigating climate change over the next five years.

The experiment will take place in Wytham Woods in Oxfordshire, and in forests in Brazil, right, the United States, China and India.

HSBC will encourage its employees worldwide to take part in the project, and others to create a “green taskforce”.

Earthwatch, an environmental organisation, will lead the forest project with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.

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