A seed-spreading drone trial has begun in the Peak District to restore ravine woodlands devastated by ash dieback disease.

The first-of-its-kind LIFE in the Ravines project is led by Natural England, designed to target the steep, rocky sides of Dovedale and Lathkill Dale.

While Quadrotor Services Ltd had been successfully using drones for reforestation in open upland landscapes such as the Scottish Highlands, this particular trial marks a significant step into new territory.

Martin Evans, woodland restoration manager at Natural England, comments:

"This drone trial is an exciting step forward. By testing what technology can achieve in places our teams simply cannot safely reach, we hope to unlock new tools to support woodland recovery at scale."

Among the most precious and challenging habitats Natural England work in, adds Evans, "the sheer steepness of these slopes means we must think creatively about how we restore them."

This innovative trial forms part of the broader “LIFE in the Ravines” project, which has already seen over 100,000 trees planted across the Peak District Dales to combat ash dieback.