In Santa Cruz Cabralia, Bahia, Brazil, a startup called Morfo is using drones to reforest degraded land in an effort to combat deforestation and climate change. The company aims to restore one million hectares of land in Brazil by 2030 using seed-sowing drones and a meticulous preparation and monitoring process.
The drones, adapted to carry seeds, can sow up to 50 hectares per day, reaching areas that are dangerous or inaccessible to humans. By using data from drone and satellite imagery, as well as information collected on the ground, Morfo’s team can develop optimal seeding strategies and monitor the results using computer vision technology.
The project in southern Bahia, a region overrun with monocultures of eucalyptus and sugarcane, is testing different seeding methods to determine the best way to grow native species. The company has also developed biodegradable seedpods to sow smaller and more fragile seeds with an 80 percent survival rate in the lab.
Local communities are involved in the restoration efforts, with 1,000 seed collectors across Brazil working with Morfo. One such collector, Crispim Barbosa de Jesus, a former tree cutter, now leads a team of seed collectors and sees the value in protecting and restoring the forest.
While the effectiveness of drone reseeding is still being studied, preliminary results in Bahia are promising. The data collected will be crucial in scaling up the use of drones for reforestation efforts. Overall, the use of drones in reseeding forests is a promising solution to combat deforestation and restore degraded land in Brazil and around the world.