Forest dept to use drone, satellite to monitor trees

The Uttarakhand forest department has introduced new initiatives, including the use of satellite imagery and drones, to enhance transparency in its plantation efforts and accurately assess their success, an official said on Wednesday.

- HT Correspondent

DEHRADUN:

"We have introduced new initiatives such as satellite imagery to assess the success of plantation drives. Until now, we used to physically visit sites to count the number of trees planted. There are several satellites covering Uttarakhand, providing data at various resolutions. Using this satellite data, we can monitor plantations and activities like soil and moisture conservation to evaluate their impact. This is the first time such a technology-driven system is being used for plantation monitoring," said Rahul, chief conservator of forests (Monitoring, Evaluation, IT, and Modernisation).

He further said that these drones will be used to assess the overall impact of our efforts. "For instance, if a moisture conservation activity has been undertaken, drones help us determine the change in the moisture regime and the increase in vegetation in that area. Drones provide an accurate assessment."