Konza uses drones to restore 1,000 acres of degraded land

Konza uses drones to restore 1,000 acres of degraded land, deploying unmanned aircraft to broadcast seedballs across the Konza Technopolis Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya. The Technopolis Development Authority said drones dispersed 75 kilogrammes of seedballs over roughly 1,000 acres of degraded savannah, describing the effort as among the first large-scale ecological restoration initiatives using drones in an urban-adjacent conservancy. The seedballs contain three indigenous tree species—wild olive, whistling thorn (shittah tree), and fever tree—intended to increase vegetation cover and support long-term ecosystem recovery. Seedballs are described as charcoal-dust, clay, and compost spheres that encase seeds to protect from predators, retain moisture, and improve germination compared with conventional broadcasting. The Authority tied the program to its Konza National Drone Corridor, a testing facility for drone technologies supporting sectors including environmental conservation and agriculture.