How the Internet of Things is helping Defra and Forest Research understand our forests

Vodafone has been working with Defra and Forest Research since July 2020 to investigate how Narrowband-IoT (NB-IoT) technology could help monitor tree growth and support research into the role trees play in tackling climate change. 

At Forestry England Alice Holt, IoT sensors attached to nine oak trees are measuring tree growth, air and soil temperature, air humidity and soil moisture content. Data from the sensors is sent over Vodafone’s IoT network to a dashboard where the team can analyse the data and spot trends. 

Matthew Wilkinson, a Climate Change Scientist at Forest Research, says: “What we want to understand is how we can better manage our forests and our trees to maximise the amount of carbon they’re absorbing from the atmosphere.”