Forest Health and Plague Control


We are happy to announce that we have been granted a project, to be developed in the region of Castilla y León (Spain), to monitor the progression of the processionary moth, combining multispectral satellite data, Synthetic-Aperture Radar (SAR), in-situ data from drones and environmental data, with Artificial Intelligence.

The pine processionary moth (Thaumetopoea pityocampa) poses a significant threat to forest health in Spain, where it is considered one of the most damaging pests to pine and cedar forests. The larvae feed on the needles of host trees, causing defoliation that weakens trees and makes them more susceptible to secondary infestations, diseases, and environmental stressors such as drought. Beyond ecological damage, the moth also poses a health risk to humans and animals due to the urticating hairs of its larvae, which can cause severe allergic reactions and respiratory issues. Climate change has exacerbated the problem, as rising temperatures allow the pest to expand its range into previously unaffected areas, including higher altitudes and latitudes. Effective management strategies, including biological control, early detection using satellite and artificial intelligence technologies, and public awareness campaigns, are critical to mitigating the impact of this invasive species on Spain’s forests and ecosystems.

The specific objectives of this project are:

– Design of relevant indicators for the presence of the species Thaumetopoea pityocampa.
– Development of algorithms capable of processing the data and obtaining the relevant indicators.
– Validation of the tool through a pilot test and prototyping of the early detection model in the selected study area.

This will allow the implementation of forest management measures to reduce its impact and minimize the environmental and economic losses associated with its development. The implementation of this model will be useful for the entities responsible for managing forests, as it will provide valuable information to mitigate the impact of this pest.

This work is co-financed by the Instituto para la Competitividad Empresarial (ICE) de Castilla y León (ICECYL), the regional government of Castilla y León, and the European Union through the European Regional Development Funds (FEDER).

This work will be done in collaboration with föra.

Looking forward to starting working on this !

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