Ecuador: sowing seeds from a drone aims to revolutionize reforestation

On the arid and eroded Casitagua hill, which is part of the Andean landscape that surrounds Quito, a forestry drone successfully completed the mission of launching 20,000 seeds of native species that aim to recover the vegetation cover of the place, affected in part by a fire on last year, and in turn revolutionized the reforestation in Ecuador.

The protagonist of the innovative action is an Agras T20 of Chinese technology, usually used for fumigation systems and which, after months of research, the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador (PUCE) has been modified so that in the tank that transports liquids, they can also be transferred seeds.

Although this device can operate with artificial intelligencethe PUCE technician and agroecologist, Nastia Skorobogatov took the controls of the drone to direct it manually to a difficult-to-access ravine area in Casitagua.

“You have to get a little familiar. One has to learn to trust the camera, what one sees in the systems“Skorobogatov explained to EFE about this experience, which is also new for her.

He confessed that while driving this Agras T20, he feels “a lot of adrenaline“, but also “a lot of emotion” knowing that they are working to recover areas that would otherwise be almost impossible.

Skorobogatov made a first trip to throw water and another second to throw the 20,000 hawthorn, guarango and carob seeds. Although the device has great autonomy, the same tank that transports the water is the one that later carries the grains.

‘1 million trees’ project

This activity is part of the PUCE project ‘1 million trees for Ecuador: planting together’, and had the support of Diners Club and the Quito Environment Secretariat, as well as the support of civil society, with a dozen of citizens who witnessed that particular ‘bombing’ of seeds on the Casitagua.

The director of the ‘1 million trees for Ecuador‘, Julio César Benítez, related that, in its beginnings, this initiative was born to plant trees in a traditional way, “making a little space for the plants”.

“With this methodology we have almost a million trees, which with the support of students, we have planted in different places in the country.”he added.

But they soon realized that in this way it would be difficult for them to access rugged areas or they would be able to respond more quickly to the consequences.of the global warmingwhich produces the forest fires or the increase in the agricultural frontier or the urban frontier, which makes the level of deforestation enormous”, as he commented.

“Unfortunately, planting seedlings is no longer enough to compensate for this level of deforestation.“, Benítez declared emphatically, and assured that “The drone allows sowing 100 times faster”, to an average of 1,500 seeds in 15 minutes.

85% effective

This is the third sowing carried out in the country with this device, a technology They hope to continue improving to exceed 85% of the effectiveness acquired in the pelletization and pregermination process developed by the university.

As Benítez pointed out, “These procedures are unique to each species.“, and that is why the role of the academy is vital to continue advancing in research on the reforestation through drones.

“Ecuador has a multitude of ecosystems, where we will have to identify the species. It will be years of research, but when the recipe for each is developed ecosystemwill allow local and central governments to multiply this technique”, he detailed.

Beyond the reforestationthey hope to leave a mark on the consciences of students and society as a whole.

Benítez claimed thus ““Caring for the common home” and asserted that, “The University is in an updating process that includes awareness and environmental commitment as a transversal axis”.

The natives gathered to verify the operation of the forestry drone They were very grateful, but they also demanded that these initiatives be continued.

Skorobogatov and Benítez agreed that the community itself is irreplaceable in monitoring the process, and assured that they will periodically visit the enclave to certify the germination of the trees.