Humans destroy, humans repair – like in a vicious circle, we live in an age that develops and changes at lightning speed, yet also degrades. How many times must nature suffer for our benefit? Blinded by the desire to make life “better,” we often fail to see that in the long run, we are causing greater harm. Our forests are suffering huge losses – from land repurposing, fires, climate change, pollution, urbanization, the timber industry, and energy production – all contributing to their disappearance.
Then comes the moment when we become aware and want to correct the mistake. But can the human hand in restoration keep pace with the speed at which it once destroyed? This is exactly why Brazil has called technology to the rescue – the Plantio-100 robot, which plants as many as 100 trees per hour, taking reforestation to an entirely new level.
This robot uses artificial intelligence, giving it an advantage not only in speed but also in precision and planting quality. Plantio-100 moves across previously destroyed areas and analyzes soil conditions. Based on data about nutrients, moisture, and shading, the robot chooses the most suitable seedling species for each location.
A planted seedling is not forgotten – the robot later returns to the same spots to monitor its growth, hydrating it when needed or providing additional protection against pests. This method of planting shows an exceptionally high success rate – nearly 90% of seedlings survive, which is almost twice as much as with traditional mass planting methods.
Plantio-100 is also environmentally sustainable – thanks to its solar power system, it does not depend on fuel and can operate in remote and hard-to-reach areas.
With the goal of restoring 12 million hectares of land by 2030, Brazil is currently preparing and training dozens of such robots, laying the foundation for a new era of reforestation.
The development of artificial intelligence today is incredibly fast – so much so that it’s hard to keep up with all its possibilities without constant learning. Like any powerful innovation, AI sparks justified concern, as its power can be used for the wrong purposes. Still, the example of the Plantio-100 robot shows how technology can be used for good – to help both humanity and nature by restoring what has been degraded for decades. In responsible hands, AI becomes an ally in protecting and renewing the world around us.
