Positive News · 1 day ago

Drone tree-seeding trial could ‘revolutionise’ the expansion of rainforests say exponents

Imagine a grand tapestry of green stretching across the rolling hills of Cornwall, and then picture the wonder of that vision coming to life-not by hand, but through the wings of drones. The Woodland Trust, with the help of these flying marvels, is seeding the future one tree at a time. They've set their sights on reclaiming England's temperate rainforests, which Sam Manning of the Woodland Trust describes as "among the most threatened ecosystems on Earth." This is no ordinary effort. It's a thrilling dance of technology and nature, as drones scatter seeds of common oak, alder, and wild cherry across landscapes too steep or remote for humans. With each seed dropped, there's a spark of hope for tackling climate and biodiversity challenges. Yet, like any ambitious dream, challenges remain-the survival of these seeds against the odds of weather and soil conditions. Manning expresses a hopeful vision, aiming for "a success rate of seed to tree of at least 25%," which could redefine how we nurture our woodlands. As Merlin Hanbury-Tenison, a land steward in the Cabilla Valley puts it, "we are a rainforest people who live on a rainforest island." To reawaken this part of our heritage will need both ancient wisdom and pioneering spirit, a reminder of what is possible when innovation meets the Earth's old rhythms.

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