Portuguese Robot Plants 200 Trees per Hour After Wildfires

Portugal's burned forests are getting a second chance thanks to two entrepreneurs who turned recycled parts into a tree-planting machine.

Marta Bernardino and Sebastião Mendonça created Troubadour, an all-terrain robot that plants 200 trees per hour across Portugal's fire-scarred landscapes. The autonomous machine reaches steep slopes and charred terrain where tractors can't go and human workers struggle to access.

Since 2000, wildfires have scorched more than half of Portugal's forests. Traditional reforestation efforts face massive logistical challenges in these damaged areas, leaving vast stretches of land vulnerable to further erosion and degradation.

Troubadour solves this problem by combining spider-inspired technology with practical engineering. The robot navigates rough terrain independently, drilling holes and planting saplings with precision that gives them an 85% survival rate.

The young entrepreneurs built their prototype using recycled materials, proving that sustainable solutions don't require massive industrial resources. Their scrappy approach caught the attention of National Geographic, which recognized their startup as Portugal's first in the environmental technology sector.

The Ripple Effect

The robot's impact extends far beyond simply putting trees in the ground. Higher survival rates mean fewer resources wasted on replanting, and faster reforestation helps stabilize soil before seasonal rains cause erosion.

Portuguese communities affected by recurring wildfires now have a realistic path to restoring their local ecosystems. The technology makes large-scale reforestation economically viable in areas previously considered too difficult or expensive to replant.

As climate change intensifies wildfire risks across Mediterranean regions, Troubadour offers a blueprint other countries could adapt. Spain, Greece, and California face similar challenges with steep, fire-damaged terrain that desperately needs restoration.

The project shows what's possible when young innovators focus on solving real environmental problems rather than waiting for governments or large corporations to act. Bernardino and Mendonça saw their forests burning and built a practical solution with the resources they had.

Portugal's forests are growing back, one robot-planted tree at a time.