Seed-Planting Drones

[58chevy]

This could help restore insect habitats:

https://reasonstobecheerful.world/drone ... wildfires/

[Chuck]

I hope it works. In many cases of "reforestation" of which I've read, they plant a monoculture.

Restoration after a fire is often just expediting the process; it would regrow anyway, just not in our lifetime. Except of course in the jungle, where it takes no time at all to grow 80' tall teak trees.

Sadly, in my area we're making backward progress: 120 YO hardwood regrowth is being cleared for biofuel. In my area, 1,600 acres (650 hectares) of lakeshore hardwood forest was recently clear-cut; it's now corn and bean for ethanol biofuel. And that was just one forest; everywhere around me human corn, hay, wheat, and clover has gone over to biofuel.

[wollastoni]

Yes, "biofuel" is a disaster for environment. Nothing "bio" at all.

About "seed-planting drone", it already exists in nature, it is called "a bird"

On of my dreams is to buy a damaged forest and to let it regrow naturally. I am 41, I should do it now to see some results... but my wife doesn't see the interest.

[Chuck]

On of my dreams is to buy a damaged forest and to let it regrow naturally. I am 41, I should do it now to see some results... but my wife doesn't see the interest.

Don't bother in cooler climates, it will take forever. The 120 YO regrowth I'd cited has oaks and maples that approach a meter in diameter; nearby is an original growth forest, and the oaks and maples have diameters greater than two meters, and cherries even that exceed 1.5 meters. In the original forest the canopy covers almost 100% so there is no undergrowth. It is night and day difference between mature regrowth and original forest.

Contrast that to Solomon Islands: the civil war started in 1998, and people abandoned villages and roadways. Within three years (w/o human intervention) roads disappeared, and trees had gone from sprout to 12 meters. It was nearly impossible to discern the overgrown Botanical Gardens from the old growth forest.

So if you want to grow a forest, go to the jungle.

[wollastoni]

Yes but the whole idea is to see my forest growing year after year so it has to be close from home.

[kevinkk]

Here in the Northwest, logging is a big industry. Replanting by hand works, things do take time, the infamous Tillamook Burn is now regrown.
We don't have the hardwood trees like the eastern USA, and conifers seem to grow quickly.
It's all for the lumber here. As far as biofuel and ethanol, I think at least for fuel, ethanol is not an effective alternative to fossil, as it takes an infrastructure to produce that corn.
I know charcoal is made in different countries from fast growing trees, usually non-natives.
In wildfire areas, I have a little experience, things grow back on their own, it can take decades for the tall trees, but the understory comes
back quick, and in a natural way, as wildfire is natures way of cleaning up. With all due eye roll for human interventions. Our last wildfire was caused by the power company and wind. It is true many fire areas are not easily accessible, I see a lot of it when we go east in the spring
for collecting, mountainside after mountainside covered in bare trees, but the flowers get a chance.