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Spotted: Rikko, Chunk and Dixon are three sustainable Forest Ranger Druids created by industrial design student Segev Kaspi. Currently in the concept stage, each of the robots has a specific set of tasks and skills. Rikko is a drone, capable of gathering data over large swathes of land. Chunk is sturdier and land-based, designed to perform heavy-duty cutting and mowing. Dixon is the planter and comes with a rotating head of seedling containers, along with the necessary digging and raking tools to get the tiny plants into the ground. 

The idea is to deploy teams of these robot forest rangers across many kilometres of forest, for regular maintenance as well as in emergency situations. Finding the source of a new forest fire, for example, could help firefighters act faster to contain a dangerous situation. In areas unsafe for humans, the robot rangers might be able to create fire breaks and divert the path of a fast-moving fire.  

Their capabilities could also help replant areas in need of regrowth, ideally planting many thousands of trees in the ground at a faster rate than human teams. According to Kaspi, the project “seeks to stimulate public discussion of atmospheric CO₂ levels and the importance of rehabilitating the world’s forests.” 

From large-scale reforestation projects to new, smart, forest towns, innovators know that the foundation of Earth’s health rests heavily on the health of our trees.  

Explore more: Sustainability