Drones and Virtual Reality (VR) in Promoting Forest Management and Habitat Restoration

Jan. 28, 2026

As part of the LIFE IP CLIMAZ project, coordinated by the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Action, drone flights are being carried out by the Regional Directorate for Forest Resources and Spatial Planning, an associated beneficiary of the project, to collect aerial images for the production of immersive virtual reality content.

These videos will enable the ecological and social benefits associated with the transition to forest management models that protect and mitigate climate change to be communicated in an innovative and accessible way.

The main topics covered include:

- The ecological restoration of natural habitats, with the introduction of endemic species adapted to local conditions;

- The conversion of production forest areas into protection forests, promoting:

•    The conservation of biodiversity, with an emphasis on endemic flora and fauna species;

•    The protection of soils against erosion processes;

•    The strengthening of the resilience of river basins in the face of extreme phenomena, such as floods and severe climatic events;

•    The application of natural engineering techniques in riparian areas.

This initiative combines the best of technology with environmental education. Drones and virtual reality videos will help demonstrate, in an engaging way, the work carried out in the project’s intervention areas on the island of São Miguel.

Stay tuned for the latest news and wait for the results.

With the financial support of the LIFE Programme of the European Union.