Madeira implements drones for forest monitoring and reforestation

The Government of Madeira has acquired professional drones to map forest areas with high precision, following rural fires in August 2024. According to the Institute of Forests and Nature Conservation (IFCN), this investment aims to complement existing unmanned aerial vehicles to enhance monitoring, geographic data collection, and response capabilities.

In addition to mapping, the IFCN has tested the use of drones for seed dispersal in hard-to-reach areas, such as the Lombo do Mouro forest perimeter. While initial tests with spherical seed bombs were deemed unfeasible due to challenging topography and climate, the institute is redesigning the method to use disc-shaped matrices and seed pre-treatment to ensure successful reforestation.

Furthermore, approximately 69,000 euros have been invested in installing fencing and gates in the Paul da Serra areas affected by fire to protect recovering spaces from unregulated grazing.