Drones Plant 50,000 Trees Daily to Restore Canada’s Wildfire-Ravaged Forests

In northern Quebec, where wildfires scorched 44 million acres (18 million hectares) in 2023, a cutting-edge drone initiative is accelerating reforestation. Flash Forest, a Canadian company, deploys large aerial drones to bombard charred landscapes with seed capsules, planting black spruces and jack pines at an unprecedented rate. This pilot project, now in its second year, offers a high-tech solution to restore Canada’s boreal forests, which are struggling to regenerate naturally amid intensifying megafires fueled by drought and climate change, as reported by AFP.

Technology Driving Reforestation

Flash Forest’s drones don’t just scatter seeds; they deliver specialized capsules containing seeds, water, nutrients, and fungi to boost growth. Each drone can plant 50,000 trees per day, targeting recently burned areas to avoid competition with existing vegetation.

“There is a niche that’s appropriate for drone reforestation which we’ve spent the last five years narrowing in on,” said Cameron Jones, Flash Forest’s cofounder.

The company uses artificial intelligence to map sites, analyzing climate, topography, and soil conditions.

“Then we pick our sites based on climate variables, physical attributes, topographic variables, to make sure we’re putting the seeds in the right place,” explained Owen Lucas, a drone operator and geospatial data scientist.

Benefits for Communities and Ecosystems

The initiative is a lifeline for remote Indigenous communities like the Ouje-Bougoumou Cree Nation, who live deep in Quebec’s boreal forest and face disproportionate wildfire impacts. Angel Mianscum, a Cree leader, expressed mixed emotions:

“It’s sad to have lost so much forest,” but she welcomed the “innovative ways of doing things.”

The Cree collaborate with Flash Forest to plan local reforestation, ensuring cultural and environmental priorities align. Ecologically, the project addresses the slow regeneration of young forests burned in 2023.

“If the forest is too young, it will take a very long time to start regenerating, so planting is the only option,” said Maxence Martin, a forest ecology professor at the University of Quebec in Abitibi-Temiscamingue.

Challenges and Industry Trends

Despite its promise, drone reforestation faces hurdles. Seed shortages plague Canada, as harvesting seeds is complex, and many capsules fail to germinate.

Martin noted, “Today there is a seed problem because they are complicated to harvest.”

Still, drones offer unmatched speed and access to remote areas, outpacing traditional planting. Flash Forest’s work extends beyond Quebec to Alberta and Colorado, signaling a growing trend in drone-assisted environmental restoration. As wildfires burn millions of acres annually—4.2 million hectares (10.4 million acres) in 2025 alone—such technologies are critical to scaling reforestation.

Economic and Regulatory Implications

Economically, drone reforestation could lower costs compared to labor-intensive manual planting, though seed scarcity drives expenses. Regulatory frameworks in Canada and the U.S. are adapting to support drone operations, with airspace and environmental permits streamlining projects. For drone professionals, this opens opportunities in geospatial data analysis and AI-driven mapping, skills Lucas employs daily. As climate-driven wildfires intensify, governments may prioritize funding for such initiatives, potentially reshaping forestry and drone industries.

Flash Forest’s work showcases drones’ transformative potential in environmental recovery.

“When you come back in the fall and you see them growing, you know you’re doing a positive thing,” Lucas said.

For Quebec’s fire-scarred forests and communities, this technology offers hope, though challenges like seed supply must be addressed to sustain progress.

Photos courtesy of AFP.