Forest and trees are critical to our survival. But climate change is an emerging major threat to forest ecosystems. Pests are on the rise, wildfires raging and thousands of hectares are left with dead or dying trees. Adapting to such brutal and yet complex processes is a great challenge that technology can support by helping monitor health, fight fires and restore forest cover.

Innovation examples

  • A Zambian man burns off dead grass as part of a community education program. A Zambian man burns off dead grass as part of a community education program.

    Indigenous peoples’ fire management in Australia

    Indigenous communities are often good forest protectors. Relying on non-timber forest products (NTFPs), these communities have successfully…
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    3. Agriculture and forestry / Forest and ecosystem management / Innovation examples

    Indigenous peoples’ fire management in Australia

    A Zambian man burns off dead grass as part of a community education program.
    Getty Images /© Gideon Mendel

    Indigenous communities are often good forest protectors. Relying on non-timber forest products (NTFPs), these communities have successfully opposed mining and logging in support of lower deforestation rates compared to non-indigenous-owned land. Their forest management techniques often include knowledge of how to manage, benefit from or mitigate forest and bush fires. Peoples such as the D’harawal communities in Australia traditionally practice indigenous fire-management techniques, sometimes known as cultural burns. These techniques involve initiating small controlled fires or cool-burning. This mitigates large natural bushfires by clearing kindling and dead organic material. Cultural burnings may also enhance biodiversity by maintaining and protecting the habitat for mammals, reptiles, insects and birds. These small fires are usually ignited in selected areas between March and July during the early dry season in Australia. As the fires burn gradually, they remove the potential fuel for bigger fires later in the dry and hot season, while the ashes fertilize the ground.[1] Australia is now developing programs and working with indigenous fire experts to plan controlled burns to strengthen forest resiliency. Similar initiatives are seen in Brazil. In other places, including Canada, indigenous forest management techniques are under threat from legislation and cumbersome approval processes. This happens when governments fail to acknowledge indigenous peoples’ practices and fire management policies are more focused on fire suppression. California for example has banned indigenous use of fire completely[2] although that might be set to change.

  • Tunisia, true colour satellite image with mask. North is at top. Around forty-five percent of the country is composed of the Sahara desert, with much of the remainder consisting of particularly fertile soil, with easily accessible coasts. This image was compiled from data acquired by LANDSAT 5 & 7 satellites., Tunisia, True Colour Satellite Image With Mask (Photo by Planet Observer/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) Tunisia, true colour satellite image with mask. North is at top. Around forty-five percent of the country is composed of the Sahara desert, with much of the remainder consisting of particularly fertile soil, with easily accessible coasts. This image was compiled from data acquired by LANDSAT 5 & 7 satellites., Tunisia, True Colour Satellite Image With Mask (Photo by Planet Observer/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

    Remote sensing forest health

    The Forest Condition Monitor (FCM) is an open access interactive online platform that uses satellite imagery to determine the greenness of…
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    3. Agriculture and forestry / Forest and ecosystem management / Innovation examples

    Remote sensing forest health

    Tunisia, true colour satellite image with mask. North is at top. Around forty-five percent of the country is composed of the Sahara desert, with much of the remainder consisting of particularly fertile soil, with easily accessible coasts. This image was compiled from data acquired by LANDSAT 5 & 7 satellites., Tunisia, True Colour Satellite Image With Mask (Photo by Planet Observer/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
    Getty Images /© UniversalImagesGroup / Contributor

    The Forest Condition Monitor (FCM) is an open access interactive online platform that uses satellite imagery to determine the greenness of European forests. This tool, developed by scientists at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), uses color-coded visualizations to determine tree greenness based on long-term rankings and deviations from long-term norms. By monitoring tree greenness over time, interesting conclusions can be drawn about the state of European forests faced by climate change. For example, forests have been shown capable of regeneration after extreme drought conditions, but with some exceptions. Pine and spruce forests in certain regions for example did not recover after particularly hot periods in 2018 and 2020, indicating substantial long-term heat damage. Data is now available covering individual countries and time periods. This allows identification of hotspots for climate-induced forest stress and decline throughout the continent. To fully grasp the causes of observed effects – including climate change – researchers recommend combining data with additional sources of environmental information. These include climate station data, phenological observations and additional high-resolution satellite imagery. When combined, these observations can support decision-making and planning actions to increase forest resilience in the face of climate change.[1]

  • Steelblue jewel beetle Phaenops cyanea on pine bark. It is a pest of pines from the family Buprestidae known as jewel beetles or metallic wood-boring beetles. Steelblue jewel beetle Phaenops cyanea on pine bark. It is a pest of pines from the family Buprestidae known as jewel beetles or metallic wood-boring beetles.

    Biological control agents

    Research institutions are exploring biocontrol measures. This is the use of one living species to control another as a means of protecting forest…
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    3. Agriculture and forestry / Forest and ecosystem management / Innovation examples

    Biological control agents

    Steelblue jewel beetle Phaenops cyanea on pine bark. It is a pest of pines from the family Buprestidae known as jewel beetles or metallic wood-boring beetles.
    Getty Images /© Tomasz Klejdysz

    Research institutions are exploring biocontrol measures. This is the use of one living species to control another as a means of protecting forest trees against pests and diseases, often as part of an integrated pest management strategy. Much of the research focuses on the behavior of the biocontrol agents, how they interact with the environment and their genetic and environmental impacts. For example, the parasitic beetle Dastarcus helophoroides has been artificially mass-reared as a natural enemy insect and released into woodlands to control the damaging longhorn beetle species (for which suitable regions are expected to grow because of climate change). Many studies, particularly focused on China, have established this parasitic beetle as a successful biological control agent.[1][c3- 94]

Proven technologies  

  • Aerial View Of River Running Across Forest Of Pine Trees - stock photo Aerial View Of River Running Across Forest Of Pine Trees - stock photo

    Planting flame retardant trees and plants as natural firebreaks

    Plants with specific flame-retardant properties have been identified in several countries for use in inhibiting forest and bushfires. The…
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    Planting flame retardant trees and plants as natural firebreaks

    Conservation International
    Aerial View Of River Running Across Forest Of Pine Trees - stock photo
    Getty Images /© Jia Xin Kwok / EyeEm

    Plants with specific flame-retardant properties have been identified in several countries for use in inhibiting forest and bushfires. The Archipelago of New Caledonia, home to around 2,500 native species, has up to 2 percent of land affected by bush fires every year, a situation aggravated by climate change. For generations the indigenous Kanak peoples have recognized the ability of a unique local plant known as the Bourao tree to help halt bushfires. Due to its thick and large leaves, the plant withers but seldom burns. This property means it can help limit fire spread. Conservation International is piloting a program to plant Bourao as a green firebreak in fire-prone areas. Other suitable trees, depending on location, could include the Mediterranean cypress,[1] crepe myrtle, the hybrid flame tree, Persian ironwood, some fruit trees and even some native eucalyptus which is otherwise known to be relatively flammable due to its oil content.[2]

    • Contracting type: Collaboration/Locally available materials
    • Technology level: Low
    • Country of origin: New Caledonia
    • Availability: New Caledonia
  • Jungle Forest in Mahua Crocker Range National Park - stock photo Jungle Forest in Mahua Crocker Range National Park - stock photo

    Reforestation and afforestation using climate-resilient species

    The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has recommended selected climate-resilient tree species for reforestation in Indonesia.…
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    Reforestation and afforestation using climate-resilient species

    IUCN
    Jungle Forest in Mahua Crocker Range National Park - stock photo
    Getty Images /© Nora Carol Photography

    The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has recommended selected climate-resilient tree species for reforestation in Indonesia. Species chosen are native to Indonesia’s Kutai National Park. Trait analysis of around 250 species of tree and other plants identified species resilient to increasing fires and drought conditions. Two fire-resilient species identified are the native palm Borassodendron borneense and the hardwood tree Eusideroxylon zwageri known locally as Bendang and Ulin. They are described as strongly resistant to fire. Other climate-resilient species identified included Croton argyratus, Endospermum peltatum and Macaranga gigantea. It is recommended they are planted in buffer zones around fire-prone areas.

    • Contracting type: Collaboration/Locally available materials
    • Technology level: Low
    • Country of origin: Indonesia
    • Availability: Indonesia
  • GPS or Weather Satellite orbiting Earth GPS or Weather Satellite orbiting Earth

    Pest management through satellite observation

    The most efficient way of monitoring large forests is through satellite observation. This helps in detecting early warning signs that trees are…
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    3. Agriculture and forestry / Forest and ecosystem management / Proven technologies

    Pest management through satellite observation

    Spacegen
    GPS or Weather Satellite orbiting Earth
    Getty Images /© janiecbros

    The most efficient way of monitoring large forests is through satellite observation. This helps in detecting early warning signs that trees are suffering water or heat stress and therefore more susceptible to pest attack. Satellite observations also allow forest managers to spot early signs of infestation, such as dryness, foliage loss or dieback. Spacegen provides forest growth surveys based on remote sensing data from satellites or drone-based LiDAR. Data covers the species composition, average height, canopy density and crown width of individual trees. Remote sensing data combined with various ground-collected geographic and field survey data are used by Spacegen to detect forest insect and pest risks over a large area in a timely manner (even in real time). This enables an evidence-based allocation of resources for early reporting and prevention to minimize economic damage to the forest.

    • Contracting type: Service
    • Technology level: High
    • Country of origin: Hong Kong, Malaysia
    • Availability: Worldwide
  • Passage for animals over the expressway - stock photo Passage for animals over the expressway - stock photo

    Wildlife crossings and underpasses

    Studies on wildlife adaptation to climate change highlight the importance of wildlife corridors and crossings in preventing extinction and…
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    Wildlife crossings and underpasses

    Veidekke
    Passage for animals over the expressway - stock photo
    Getty Images /© Jacek Pacholczyk

    Studies on wildlife adaptation to climate change highlight the importance of wildlife corridors and crossings in preventing extinction and helping preserve biodiversity.[1] Veidekke is one of Scandinavia’s largest construction groups. They have built a wildlife overpass above a highway in southern Sweden, connecting wildlife and plants on either side of the road. By providing animals safe passage, the overpass is expected to reduce wildlife accidents on the road. This particular overpass is 76 meters long and 32 meters wide and contains two road tunnels, as well as passages for smaller animals. Similar structures are to be seen in many countries including Canada, France, India, the Netherlands and Switzerland.

    • Contracting type: Service
    • Technology level: Medium
    • Country of origin: Sweden
    • Availability: Sweden
  • Water Bomber - stock photo Water Bomber - stock photo

    Aerial firefighters

    Originally built by Canadair, the Canadair CL-415 is one of a series of amphibious aircraft designed to fight wildfires from above. The CL-415 is…
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    Aerial firefighters

    Canadair, De Havilland Aircraft
    Water Bomber - stock photo
    Getty Images /© WanderingNomad

    Originally built by Canadair, the Canadair CL-415 is one of a series of amphibious aircraft designed to fight wildfires from above. The CL-415 is no longer in production. But De Havilland Aircraft of Canada is presently manufacturing similar aircraft under the name DHC-515, with expected delivery to several European Union countries by 2025. The aircraft is designed to deliver drops at a rapid rate, suppressing fires more quickly. This allows it to deliver a higher daily amount of water into a fire-zone compared to similar technologies. Tanks can be refilled in 12 seconds using water from nearby rivers, small lakes and oceans

    • Contracting type: For sale
    • Technology level: Medium
    • Country of origin: Canada
    • Availability: European Union

Frontier technologies  

  • Denver 3D Render Satellite View Topographic Map - stock photo Denver 3D Render Satellite View Topographic Map - stock photo

    Open source fire forecasting systems

    Pyregence is a company that offers various wildfire forecasting products for utility companies, fire-risk managers, policymakers and the general…
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    3. Agriculture and forestry / Forest and ecosystem management / Frontier technologies

    Open source fire forecasting systems

    Pyregence
    Denver 3D Render Satellite View Topographic Map - stock photo
    Getty Images /© FrankRamspott

    Pyregence is a company that offers various wildfire forecasting products for utility companies, fire-risk managers, policymakers and the general public through an open-source approach. The company is conducting research to understand climate and fuel conditions driving a new era of severe wildfires, using the results to build the next generation of wildfire risk models. In 2020, Pyregence released a beta version of its fire forecasting tool on pyrecast.org where users can view active fires burning in California in the United States to see where they are likely to spread over the course of 48 hours. The company also offers climate change projections.

    • Contracting type: Free/Service
    • Technology level: High
    • Country of origin: United States
    • Availability: United States
  • A strip of Dry Grass sets Fire to Trees in dry Forest: Forest fire - Aerial drone top view. Forest fire: fire with smoke from the height of a bird flight. A strip of Dry Grass sets Fire to Trees in dry Forest: Forest fire - Aerial drone top view. Forest fire: fire with smoke from the height of a bird flight.

    Wildfire monitoring using artificial intelligence

    ChoochAI is a company using artificial intelligence (AI) and image analyses to detect fire based on data from satellites, drones and land…
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    Wildfire monitoring using artificial intelligence

    ChoochAI
    A strip of Dry Grass sets Fire to Trees in dry Forest: Forest fire - Aerial drone top view. Forest fire: fire with smoke from the height of a bird flight.
    Getty Images /© Andrii Chagovets

    ChoochAI is a company using artificial intelligence (AI) and image analyses to detect fire based on data from satellites, drones and land cameras. Satellite imagery is analyzed every 10 minutes to identify where new wildfires have started. The company has trained AI models to identify wildfires using aerial imagery with a high accuracy. Special cameras installed on satellites or aircraft capture videos that are then analyzed by the AI model to detect fire activity. Based on this information, alerts are then sent to decision-makers for them to take appropriate action.

    • Contracting type: Services
    • Technology level: High
    • Country of origin: United States
    • Availability: Worldwide

Horizon technologies  

  • Replanting mangroves forest for sustainable and restoring ocean habitat in coastal area of Thailand Replanting mangroves forest for sustainable and restoring ocean habitat in coastal area of Thailand

    Forest and mangrove reforestation using drones

    Distant Imagery is a company that among its other projects is using drones that can drop 2,000 germinated seeds in 10 minutes to replant mangrove…
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    3. Agriculture and forestry / Forest and ecosystem management / Horizon technologies

    Forest and mangrove reforestation using drones

    Distant Imagery
    Replanting mangroves forest for sustainable and restoring ocean habitat in coastal area of Thailand
    Getty Images /© Akarawut Lohacharoenvanich

    Distant Imagery is a company that among its other projects is using drones that can drop 2,000 germinated seeds in 10 minutes to replant mangrove forests. To increase survival rate, seeds are coated with solid nutrients to make them heavier and able to penetrate mud and soil. According to a project spokesperson, the survival rate is between 35 and 43 percent[3] with room for improvement.

    • Contracting type: Collaboration
    • Technology level: Medium
    • Country of origin: United Arab Emirates
    • Availability: United Arab Emirates
  • Genetic engineering concept. Medical science. Scientific Laboratory. Genetic engineering concept. Medical science. Scientific Laboratory.

    Genetic engineering of forest species

    A lack of desirable natural genetic variations within a species can hamper climate-resilient tree breeding. Genetic engineering has emerged as an…
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    3. Agriculture and forestry / Forest and ecosystem management / Horizon technologies

    Genetic engineering of forest species

    FuturaGene
    Genetic engineering concept. Medical science. Scientific Laboratory.
    Getty Images /© metamorworks

    A lack of desirable natural genetic variations within a species can hamper climate-resilient tree breeding. Genetic engineering has emerged as an alternative means of developing trees that are pest and disease-resistant or are more drought tolerant. Although this has been successfully demonstrated in greenhouse or field environments, regulatory barriers and high costs can slow down commercial applications.[1] However, there are a few companies offering genetically-engineered tree species for use as biomass, such as FuturaGene with their yield-enhanced Eucalyptus trees. Despite heavy national protest, Brazil became the first country to approve genetically-modified eucalyptus. The company is now in the process of developing insect resistant tree species, which may represent progress toward reducing climate vulnerability of trees.

    • Contracting type: Research collaboration
    • Technology level: High
    • Country of origin: Brazil
    • Availability: N/A

Forest loss

Forests provide crucial ecosystem services like oxygenizing and cleaning our air, filtering our water and offering shade and windbreaks. They also protect against erosion and landslides while offering important habitat for a wide range of…
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Forest loss

Forests provide crucial ecosystem services like oxygenizing and cleaning our air, filtering our water and offering shade and windbreaks. They also protect against erosion and landslides while offering important habitat for a wide range of species. An estimated 1.6 billion people fully or partly depend on these services for their livelihood and resilience.[85] Many forest ecosystems have a natural ability to adapt to disturbances. But climate change may pose challenges too big to overcome. Periodic droughts in parts of the Amazon since the 1990s, partly attributable to climate change, have impacted forest productivity to such an extent that the Amazon momentarily turned from a carbon sink into a net carbon emitter.[86] Forest ecosystems, including coastal ecosystems such as mangrove forests, are also subject to wind and water erosion, storm damage and landslides. Along with the millions of hectares of forest lost within the last decade,[87] these impacts are exacerbating land degradation and biodiversity loss.[88] In 2015, around 98 million ha of forest was affected by fire and 40 million ha damaged by insects, disease and severe weather events.[89]
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No-regret solutions a safer choice

The best way to strengthen forests against climate stress is by maintaining healthy ecosystems. However, implementing effective adaptation measures can be challenging. Forest resources require a long-term, holistic management approach. This…
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No-regret solutions a safer choice

The best way to strengthen forests against climate stress is by maintaining healthy ecosystems. However, implementing effective adaptation measures can be challenging. Forest resources require a long-term, holistic management approach. This limits any benefits from adopting technologies or solutions quickly. Recommended measures are often those that generate social or economic benefits irrespective of the climate impact they attempt to address. These so-called no-regret solutions include solutions that help protect against wildfires and pest outbreaks.[90] Among these are resilient species, mixed forests and remote sensing-based observations of forest health. As global warming increases wildfire and forest fire risk, forecasting systems are becoming more important than ever.[91] Such modelling systems can be highly complex. But artificial intelligence (AI)-based methods such as artificial neural networks and support vector machines can produce forest fire predictions based on fewer parameters. As this lowers cost, it may enable widespread deployment also in developing countries.[92] Remote sensing technologies for monitoring forest and ecosystem impacts are also increasingly becoming subject to “open data” policies, making data accessible for the global community.[93] Several new inventions relate to AI and drone use in controlling and fighting forest fires. Meanwhile, some governments are working with local communities to implement indigenous fire management techniques. Horizon technologies include biological control agents, drones for reforestation and afforestation or even biotechnology to mitigate threats through genetic manipulation of desirable traits in forest species. [94]
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Adaptation solutions vary according to ecosystem

Depending on region, different climate adaptation measures may be more suitable and prioritized. Regionally, Africa experienced the highest net forest loss annually in the last decade, followed by South America.…
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Adaptation solutions vary according to ecosystem

Depending on region, different climate adaptation measures may be more suitable and prioritized. Regionally, Africa experienced the highest net forest loss annually in the last decade, followed by South America.[95] However, the picture is varied. In the same period some 36 countries, including China and India, saw a net increase in forest cover. Fire prevention measures will be particularly important in the tropical domain, where around 4 percent of forested area was affected by fire in 2015. Over two-thirds of the total forest area affected globally was in Africa and South America.[96] This picture may change. Regions such as Europe are also witnessing extended forest fire seasons, with more forest fires than average.[97] Meanwhile, the majority of forest damaged by insects, disease and severe weather events is in temperate and boreal domains. In many parts of the world, protecting and strengthening indigenous peoples’ ability to protect and manage their land can be a cost-effective approach to resilient forest management. Compared to areas managed by public and private entities, territories held by indigenous peoples often show better resiliency, emission reduction and biodiversity protection. In Latin America for example deforestation rates in territories held by indigenous peoples are 50 percent lower[98] [c3- 7].
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