Revolutionizing Reforestation: Harnessing Rain's Power to Restore Remote Areas
Carnegie Mellon University researchers have developed an innovative e-seed carrier, powered by rain, that can be deployed by drones to reforest remote areas This groundbreaking technology drills seeds into the soil in response to moisture, addressing the challenges of seed shortage and enabling tailored reforestation efforts
The global forests are in danger due to logging for timber, agricultural clearing, and increasingly intense wildfires caused by rising temperatures. This year is on track to be the hottest on record and has seen the highest number of fires in boreal forests worldwide.
Reforestation is crucial in combating climate change and preserving biodiversity, but manual sapling planting can be a slow and labor-intensive process.
Drones have recently been utilized to distribute seeds in areas affected by wildfires, with companies like Mast Reforestation and organizations like World Wildlife Fund using specialized drones to aid in reforestation efforts. However, ensuring that the dropped seeds successfully take root and germinate has posed a challenge. Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University's Morphing Matter Lab in Pennsylvania may have a solution in the form of an "E-seed" carrier, designed to be dropped by drones and drill into the soil, drawing inspiration from nature's own mechanisms.
The carrier is able to drill into the ground without requiring an energy source, thanks to its unique material that responds to rain by "self-drilling".
Seeking inspiration from erodium seeds, lab director Lining Yao and her colleagues observed the coil-like "drill" of these seeds, which changes shape when wet. This allows the seeds to use their "tail" to prop themselves up and push more effectively into the ground.
The team developed a seed carrier using the same concept, constructed from white oak wood that naturally reacts to changes in humidity. The wood was chemically treated to enhance its flexibility and density when wet, allowing for more effective expansion. While erodium has a single tail, the seed carrier has three, which facilitates easier soil drilling.
In a study published by Yao in the journal Nature, it was found that the carrier has an "80% success rate in drilling on flat land," surpassing the effectiveness of erodium seeds under the same conditions. Once the carrier has burrowed, the seed is shielded from animals and natural elements, which increases its chances of germination.
Tailor-made
The Falling Walls breakthrough of the year award was won by the design in August. This award is given annually to scientific breakthroughs in academic disciplines related to Engineering and Technology.
Morphing Matter has currently tested the seed carriers in Pittsburgh and Changxing, China. However, the lab has garnered attention from venture capitalists and government agencies worldwide interested in utilizing the seed carriers for reforestation projects. According to Yao, specific types of seed carriers need to be created for various locations to accommodate differences in soil, humidity levels, and other factors. "We need to customize the design according to local conditions and the specific seeds being used," Yao explains.
"Desert is quite distinct from the Amazon rainforest and the coastal lines around Hawaii. The partnership must be highly collaborative with local practitioners, so we consistently ask them to send us seeds and soil for validation."
The seed carrier is made from treated white oak wood.
Morphing Matter Lab
In order to supply technology to projects globally, production needs to be increased. "Many of our inquiries involve the potential to grow millions of trees in a year, so we are working on developing a mass production strategy. However, we need more financial and personnel support to expand our efforts," Yao explains.
Professor Shu Yang from the University of Pennsylvania has played a key role in the E-seed carrier project. According to her, the issue of large-scale distribution is of utmost importance.
"The focus needs to be on efficiency. Currently, it stands at 80%, but when we expand to larger areas, we need to consider the efficiency versus the costs. Whether there is interest in pursuing this, the success rate is crucial," Yang explains.
But in terms of the manufacturing process, Yang believes it will be possible to produce enough carriers to meet demand.
Seed shortage
According to Matthew Aghai, vice president of bio research and development at Mast Reforestation, the e-seed project is a "phenomenal development," however, he emphasizes that for seed distribution to be truly effective, improved drones must be more widely available for reforestation. He explains, "Typically, with conventional drones, the technology is not in a place where you can operate with a great degree of control and precision."
Mast Reforestation has worked on projects around the world.
Mast Reforestation
Mast Reforestation utilizes drones to reforest worldwide and produces millions of seeds annually at the largest seed bank in the western United States. While not formally affiliated with Morphing Matter Lab, the company has sought consultation from them. Aghai emphasizes that utilizing drones for reforestation in remote areas presents challenges in terms of infrastructure, such as charging stations, which are often unavailable.
However, he believes that a more significant challenge is the scarcity of seeds for planting. Aghai notes that storing seeds in banks is time-consuming, and seed nurseries require additional funding. "There is actually a broader seed shortage in our industry, a very serious one. That's the bottleneck for reforesting, not technology."
