Eye in the Sky

Trees in New Brunswick are at risk in our warming and drying climate. It is important to have tools that can help monitor trees and detect stress when droughts occur, so that we can respond by selectively removing weaker trees, reducing competition among stronger ones. But how can we detect drought stress on a large scale in a way that allows us to respond efficiently, preventing long-term damage to the trees?     We believe that drone-based remote sensing may be the solution. By flying a drone over the site, we can detect subtle physiological changes in the needles of spruce trees that are invisible to the human eye. To test this method, we need an experimental site that can manipulate the amount of water accessible to the trees. This experiment is what you see in this aerial photo.   The long structures covered in tarps keep water off the ground, creating an artificial drought for the trees around them, allowing us to perform drought research in a controlled environment.  Our goal is to use this technology to create a model that efficiently detects drought stress in trees, allowing timely intervention by forest managers to reduce damage and keep our forests thriving.