Technology can play an important role in ecosystem restoration. After nearly 30 years restoring legally protected native forests, Greenfleet has seen significant advancements in environmental technology and is using these tools to enhance many aspects of our work.

From using software to map our sites, to drones planting seed, and aerial imaging monitoring the progress of our projects, some technology is vital to the work we do.

Using Technology To Restore Native Forests

With 580 native forests across Australia and New Zealand, Greenfleet forests can span remote, rugged terrain. Technology complements onground operations from planning and planting, through to the long-term monitoring of our forests.

Mapping tools like ArcGIS help us assess potential sites, while drones can support tasks from detailed imagery through to the distribution of seed in hard-to-reach areas. Greenfleet is committed to authentic, tangible action and technology helps us establish and manage biodiverse forests at scale.

Technology Drives Positive Environmental Change

Planting locally native species is only the first step in restoring resilient ecosystems. After planting, we follow a structured monitoring schedule for the first five years and continue both remote and onground assessments throughout each forest’s life.

Here are some examples of how Greenfleet utilises technology to grow, monitor, and protect our native forests

  • ArcGIS

    ArcGIS is an advanced satellitebased mapping system that we use to analyse data relating to our forest sites. Greenfleet’s dedicated GIS Officer can utilise the system to better understand the key geographical features of our projects, such as elevation, to assess potential sites and monitor forest growth.

    The program supports analysis of forest sites from planning to maturity, assists data collection such as drone mapping, and produces highresolution mosaics, terrain models, and mapped corridors or vulnerable species using government data layers.

    Pictured: The image featured shows Greenfleet's Strzelecki Nature Link, growing on Boonwurrung Country in South Gippsland. Using ArcGIS, each section is precisely mapped to enable detailed ongoing assessment of the four forests that make up the project. 

  • Thermal Imaging

    By planting biodiverse forests, we are restoring habitat for some of Australia’s most vulnerable species, including koalas. Thermal imaging can help locate such species that can be challenging to locate from the ground.

    While this data is supported by on-the-ground monitoring and scat analysis, we can employ thermal imaging to understand existing populations in project areas or preferred sections within our revegetation sites.

    Pictured: These thermal images, taken at our Dangerbridge project on Kabi Kabi Country in Queensland, were captured by Noosa Landcare and analysed by Queensland University of Technology with AI. The two koalas identified are represented by the yellow dots. 

Drone Seed Dispersal

Aerial seeding using drones enables Greenfleet to revegetate difficult to reach areas of our forests. It assists with spreading native seed across large distances or after an ecological cool burn has occurred.

Pictured: Our Cherry Avon forest on Yuggera Country, Queensland receives a delivery of hand-formed seed ‘bombs’ after a prescribed ecological burn.

Drone Photography

Drone photography is one of the most effective methods to gain wide-view, aerial images of our forests. It helps monitor site progress, comparing images taken from the same location, or help assess where additional planting is needed. Always complemented by on the ground monitoring, it allows to view areas that can take hours to traverse on foot or by vehicle.  

Pictured: Growing on Kabi Kabi Country in Southeast Qld, Dangerbridge has been restored since 2003. This 2025 drone footage shows the extent of over 20 years of forest growth, which now supports endangered koalas and birdlife.

In our work restoring legally protected native forests, technology plays an important role in the way we grow and monitor our projects. By using these innovative technologies, we enhance our forest monitoring processes, can employ best-practice land management, and increase our understanding of the wildlife utilising our forests.

Technology helps us grow our forests, restore nature, and grow climate hope.

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