An estimated 20 million birch seeds have been scattered on the hillside above the A83 due to the usage of drone know-how.
We’ve been working closley with Transport Scotland on this newest part of drone seeding, which is aimed to assist cut back the chance of landslips on the infamous Relaxation and Be Grateful. The method, that we first trailled final 12 months, is being examined and evaluated by our companions, Forest Analysis and Auto Spray Techniques.
Planting native tree species on these slopes will be sure that over time an in depth root system will develop by the soils, enhancing soil construction in addition to to scale back the results of floor erosion on a lot of the uncovered mineral soils.
The drone is getting used alongside conventional planting strategies to seed areas which have already had landslips. These areas are unsafe for folks to plant on as a result of threat of dislodging boulders and unsafe circumstances. That is the place know-how will help us afforest these areas from a secure distance.
The drone operates like fashionable farming know-how and follows set GPS monitoring factors. It has a seed dispenser connected to the underside of it and as soon as the flight plan is programmed within the drone goes to work scattering the seeds.
Ultimately, the seeds had been dispersed over 12ha in a matter of hours, a job that may have taken weeks to cowl by hand planting.
James Hand, our Woodland Creation Forester accountable for the positioning mentioned,
“If only one per cent of these seeds is profitable that can imply 200,000 timber will quickly be rising on this slope, their roots slowly binding the soil and making it way more secure. In impact we’ll be capturing carbon emissions in these rising timber and placing it to work to guard highway customers and the carriageway.
A landslip part that was seeded by the drone.
Such a know-how is a significant innovation for forestry and is one thing we hope to undertake throughout the nation as we work to adapt our forests and the broader panorama in order that they will higher face up to the affect of a altering local weather.
“That is solely the primary part of the positioning to which we’ve adopted this technique. Nonetheless, we intend to reapply quite a lot of instances as a part of an ongoing trial with Forest Analysis. To probably undertake in different landslip places that are close by, over the subsequent few years. Additional trials into different capabilities for which the drone might have, such a lifting materials onto website, can even probably be trialled as properly” added James.
https://forestryandland.gov.scot/weblog/a83-drone-seeding-underway