Drones drops could help rewilding in Scotland, trial suggests

Drone drops hold the key to cheaper, faster rewilding across Scotland, it is claimed.

A pilot project in the Highlands saw drones used to disperse native tree seeds across degraded moorland where sheep and deer grazing has eaten away at natural woodland.

Three hectares of hillside on the Moidart peninsula were chosen for the project in April 2024.

Supported by the University of Edinburgh and drone specialists Auto Spray Systems, the trial took place on land near Roshven, Lochaber. Dubh Allt's owners are partnering in the Northwoods Rewilding Network managed by charity Scotland: The Big Picture.

Birch, rowan, alder, Scots pine, aspen and willow seeds were all in the mix, with a germination rate of 2.7 per cent - more than twice as high as the one per cent rate that was hoped for.

The team says its method, which replicates natural dispersal, is "both viable and cheaper than originally anticipated".

James Nairne of Scotland: The Big Picture called the results "hugely encouraging", saying: "Rewilding is often about working with natural processes, but that doesn't mean we can't also embrace technological innovation."

Landowner Ed Townley commented: "Now that the concept has been proven, the next step is a large-scale trial across the hillside, with experimental controls.

"We also want to know about other sites where land managers are keen to test this method.

"One of the controls we will test is whether or not this method can work without the need for fencing, as natural regeneration is often successful in areas surrounded by woodland and open to deer. Even at low densities, saplings that have grown in place from seed may survive grazing better than recently-planted saplings because of their established root networks."