Oct. 11th, 2022 8:45a
(WGTD)---At a seeding project at the Meachem Wetland Preserve in Racine County Monday, tractors were replaced by a drone. It's the latest example of how technology is being used to restore wetlands.
A specially-designed drone was used to drop seeds of native plants within pre-programmed coordinates on the 60-acre tract of land located along Meachem Road, also known as 22nd Ave., right across from Sanders Park.
The property was acquired several years ago by the DNR’s Wetland Conservation Trust. Work to restore the land to its original state in a bid to slow runoff into the nearby Pike River and improve the habitat began two years ago.
Dave Giordano of the Root-Pike Watershed Initiative Network says use of the drone speeds things up. "You're reducing the amount of manpower needed to do the work. You're more accurate with where those seeds are supposed to go. And you can continually come back with those pre-programmed coordinates if more seeding needs to occur," he said. "We're really excited to see this."
Giordano says the drone may also be used at a later date to drop herbicide on hard-to-kill invasive plants.
Eventually the land will be developed with hiking trails and opened to the public.
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