The Importance of Afforestation/ Reforestation
Afforestation/ reforestation can be explained as a targeted activity of establishing new forests in areas where there was no forest before or where the forest has been destroyed by some of the ecological destabilizers (such as fire, erosion, grazing and overgrazing by livestock, etc.). The most common method of afforestation/ reforestation is planting tree seedlings, while seed sowing is rarely used. Croatia has significant areas of forest habitats that require this type of afforestation/ reforestation approach, such as the sub-Mediterranean and Mediterranean areas. However, there are situations when seed sowing is necessary, particularly on extremely challenging areas (high rockiness, steep slopes and similar area conditions).
The current practice involves manual sowing and prescribed seed quantities according to regulations, usually ranging from 3 to 5 kg per hectare. Seeds are spread over the surface in relatively large quantities, but the success of sowing is relatively low. The seeds are not incorporated into the soil and are exposed to the detrimental impact of the zoocenosis and unfavorable ecological factors.
The Significance of Forests
- Forests maintain the balance of ecosystems and biodiversity.
- Afforestation reduces CO2 levels and mitigates climate change.
- Forests protect soil from erosion, preserve water resources, and prevent floods.
- Forests provide habitats for numerous plant and animal species.
- Forests have a positive impact on human health.
- Afforestation restores degraded areas.
- Forest conservation contributes to sustainable development and community well-being.
Forests cover one-third of Earth’s landmass and perform vital functions across the globe. Around 1.6 billion people, including over 2,000 indigenous cultures, rely on forests for their livelihoods, such as a source of income, medicine, fuel, food and shelters. Forests are biologically the most diverse and one of the most complex terrestrial ecosystems, with more than 80% of terrestrial species of animals, plants and insects.
In the EU Forest Strategy (EU Forest Strategy 2021), afforestation holds a crucial position. To mitigate the mentioned negative consequences, a strategic approach is needed for selecting acceptable species, planning planting, and maintaining existing and new trees.
Ecological Challenges
In recent years, forest fires have become increasingly common. Between 30,000 and 40,000 fires are recorded annually in Europe, with burnt areas exceeding 500,000 hectares.
Almost all fires in Europe are caused by human activity. Countries along the southern edge of Europe, such as France, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Albania are particularly affected, with Greece being notably impacted in 2007 due to its climate, global changes, and socio-economic conditions.
Several hundred forest fires occur in Croatia every year and the record-breaking year was 2007, with a staggering 706 recorded fires causing damage to 68,171 hectares of land. To contribute to forest restoration and protect forested areas from erosion and the leaching of the humus layer, it is important to find effective methods that require minimal human labor and enable the afforestation of hard-to-reach areas with minimal costs.
Afforestation/ reforestation in the Mediterranean region is generally made more challenging due to the presence of poorly developed soil and frequent droughts, which lead to higher costs compared to other regions. In addition to the cost of seedlings and planting, afforestation expenses also encompass soil preparation, fencing installation, and ongoing care for several years after planting, among other factors.
In recent times, drone-based afforestation/ reforestation has been considered as a solution to combat drought-related problems. However, this method has proven to be inefficient due to its significant financial requirements. Because of this, afforestation processes are often abandoned, resulting in unresolved areas and an increased risk of soil erosion.
Innovations for a Greener Future
Pneumatic Tree-Planting Gun
Our company, Herbafarm-magnolija Ltd., has developed an innovative product and afforestation/ reforestation method based on many years of research. This revolutionary innovation represents a significantly improved solution for afforestation. Our product increases afforestation/ reforestation success rates to 50% while simultaneously reducing the overall process costs.
The basis of this invention is to enable rapid afforestation/ reforestation of large areas that are exposed to increased erosion due to the loss of vegetation, typically caused by wildfires. After a wildfire, rain and rain-triggered flash floods often wash away the surface humus layer of the soil in just a few downpours, leaving the soil hard, rocky, and infertile. Additionally, after a forest fire, the soil typically remains sterilized for about 6 months due to the high temperatures generated during the fire. When all seeds and roots are burned, rapid natural vegetation recovery becomes more challenging.
Forest fires typically occur in remote, steep, and rocky areas without road access, which is why conventional afforestation is associated with high costs due to the need for a large number of people. Due to the challenging conditions on the ground, traditional afforestation/ reforestation efforts often yield limited results. Areas are typically steep, so, aerial afforestation/ reforestation by dropping seed balls from drones is often ineffective. The seed balls don’t end up in suitable locations for vegetation growth, but instead roll downhill into valleys, crevices, and more. Also, by ejecting seed balls from drones, the seeds do not penetrate into the soil, which is necessary for seed development.
Afforestation/ reforestation with a pneumatic gun represents a significant advancement in the market compared to existing products – it requires less financial investment and is more efficient and successful than other methods. The estimated success rate of this method is 50%, or 5000 live seedlings per hectare, which is far more efficient than other afforestation/ reforestation methods and products. This is a sufficient number of units to stop the negative processes of erosion that can lead to soil leaching. This helps in conserving the soil from degradation and also prevents potential landslides that can occur due to the loss of vegetation, which typically binds and stabilizes the soil with its roots.
Pneumatic gun - THE WAY OF WORKING
