Excellent environmental science with impact

The UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) is a leading independent research institute dedicated to understanding and transforming how we interact with the natural world. With over 600 researchers, we tackle the urgent environmental challenges of our time, such as climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss.

About the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology

For over 60 years, UKCEH and its predecessor institutes have been at the forefront of environmental monitoring and modelling. The long-term environmental data hosted by UKCEH inform policymaking, enable new discoveries, and drive research and innovation.  

We are a trusted provider of research of the highest quality and rigour, and our science makes a difference, advancing knowledge and understanding to benefit people and planet. 

Our research excellence 2013-2022

2.22

average field weighted citation index of our 4300 outputs

34.5%

outputs in top 10% of most cited publications in Scopus

67%

outputs involving international collaboration

80%

outputs are Open Access

Our impact

Our science underpins environmental policies, commercial innovation and conservation action all around the world. For example:

  • Our species monitoring and modelling informs national and international policies and targets on biodiversity;
  • Our air pollution work informs clean air strategies in mega-cities;
  • Our water resources science enables governments, businesses and communities to ensure future water availability;
  • Our hydro-climate risks work improves forecasting of and resilience to extreme weather events, floods and droughts;
  • Our soils and land use science supports innovative solutions for reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions;
  • Our agricultural field studies help farmers optimise food production while restoring nature.