The collaborative project rePLANT held a demonstration session on March 23, in Mata do Braçal, Lousã, during which some of the most recent technological developments of this innovation consortium for the enhancement of Portuguese forests were presented.
“We have found solutions that contribute to the sustainable development of the forest. These are the result of the best technical-scientific knowledge of business and non-business entities that worked in highly technological demonstrations, within the project’s lines of action” explains Carlos Fonseca, Scientific and Technological Director of CoLAB ForestWISE, which coordinates the project with The Navigator Company. “This project has already given practical and immediately applicable results, and alone it would not be possible to have in such a short time these solutions” agree José Luis Carvalho (project leader), Susana Morais and José Rafael, from Navigator, who were actively involved in the preparation of the demonstration.
Among the results of almost three years of work by 20 entities in the implementation of strategies for integrated forest and fire management are innovative implements such as the new Riper Grade (ARG) for partial soil mobilization, reducing environmental impact and improving conditions for plant development. This equipment was developed for eucalyptus forestry, but can be used in other types of forest. Developed with the participation of Navigator, Fravizel and InescTec, the tool integrates unique digital technologies to control ripping using Lidar, geopositioning and variable-rate fertilization capability. An implement for Forest 4.0 and an essential piece for the total digitalization of forest processes, from the digital project to the geolocation of each plant and associated data.
Also presented were trials of different species and provenances of pine trees, by Sonae Arauco and Instituto Superior de Agronomia, some of them newly introduced, more productive and potentially better adapted to climate change. Improved species and plants of maritime pine, radiata and taeda could bring new forest profitability.
ForestWise also presented solutions for measuring wood piles in the field, with smartphone applications accessible to all, which allow, in an easy and fast way, to collect data for stock management and supply chain improvement.
The field session sold out of registrations and the participants were able to tour the “four technology stations” and see the results already achieved under rePLANT. The project has an investment of 5.6 million euros, supported by Compete/Portugal 2020, through the POCI and Lisbon 2020 programs, and ends in June 2023.
In, Comércio Máquinas, 28 March 2023 (PT)
