Blue Sky Awards | Chris Erasmus and his wireless dendrometer for the forestry industry

Описание: Stellenbosch University's Chris Erasmus has advanced to the global round of the 2025 Blue Sky Young Researchers and Innovation competition. Her project impressed the Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa (PAMSA) for its originality and relevance to the forestry sector.

Managed by the International Council of Forestry and Paper Associations (ICFPA), this competition seeks projects from researchers under 30 years of age who are working in forest-based science, products using wood, pulp or paper as a raw material, process improvements, or other innovations throughout the forest sector value chain.

Erasmus, who is completing a Master’s in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, has developed a wireless dendrometer and environmental sensing system tailored for the forestry industry. This solar-powered device tracks tree growth patterns, water dynamics, and environmental stressors such as temperature, humidity, and soil moisture with precision. It offers a cost-effective, low-maintenance solution, reducing the need for human intervention while ensuring consistent accuracy and reliability.

The dendrometer allows seamless, real-time monitoring of trees’ daily growth variations, using advanced technology to overcome the limitations of traditional analogue systems, which are prone to noise and interference.