• Mycatiskai@lemmy.ca
      13·
      25 days ago

      Maybe they are trained to run in an expanding grid rather than back and forth in the same area.

      • Mishmash2000@lemmy.nz
        1·
        18 days ago

        The way I assume it works is that the humans walk a trail or in a particular direction and the dogs run out from that trail several hundred metres to the left and right, massively increasing the coverage area.

        This breed of doggo is highly intelligent and highly trainable. I don’t know to what extent these ones have been trained but Border Collies can be trained to operate with remarkable precision, basically like they’re remote controlled. Look up any sheep dog trial videos for good examples of the intelligence and precision they are capable of working at. They can both follow complex commands and problem-solve on the fly and even be taught to avoid flagged zones that you could mark as you go, which might be areas with delicate new growth or sections that have been covered already.

  • Mishmash2000@lemmy.nz
    16·
    25 days ago

    First up, an article about this: https://www.greenmatters.com/news/2018/02/19/2m3wbf/border-collies-forest

    It doesn’t give much more info other than looking at the share scale of the destruction and the speed at which the doggos can cover the terrain! Looking into it a bit further it’s clear that when fires are this intense, they can sterilize the soil, destroying not just the trees/plants but also the seed bank and mycorrhizal networks that help forests regenerate. Plus, by choosing the seeds they spread they can convert areas that were overtaken by introduced species back to native ones. Natural seed dispersal can still happen by wind or wildlife but this can be much slower meaning regrowth is delayed meaning soil erosion can occur. Not all heroes wear capes, some wear leeetle backpacks!

    • Peasley@lemmy.world
      2·
      24 days ago

      Before widespread fire supression, fires in many regions were likely more frequent but less intense.

      It makes sense that modern fires might be quite different than the fires these seeds are normally adapted to withstand

  • Greyghoster@aussie.zone
    11·
    25 days ago

    It’s an odd thing to do as forests naturally regenerate after fire and you don’t want to mess up the ecology by introducing new species or genetic variants. Definitely cute but odd.

    • Peasley@lemmy.world
      9·
      25 days ago

      could be helpful in areas where the native seed bank is gone, such as areas formerly built over or used for agriculture.

      Probably not an efficient method even then. At least they look pretty happy

    • too_high_for_this@lemmy.world
      4·
      25 days ago

      Climate change has increased the frequency and intensity of wildfires and decreased populations of seed-spreading and pollinating animals. The forests might be able to regenerate, but not at the rate at which they burn down.

      And I’m positive that whoever is doing this makes sure they’re using native seeds.

      • Track_Shovel@slrpnk.netMEnglish
        3·
        25 days ago

        They probably aren’t actually doing this though - native seeds are a pain in the dick to collect - you’re not going to waste them strapping them to a dog lol

        • Peasley@lemmy.world
          3·
          24 days ago

          I volunteer at a preserve that has a “farm” for exactly this reason. Native seeds are gathered in the preserve, grown out on the “farm”, and then are harvested and regrown for a few years to build up a seed bank.

          At the end the seeds are scattered by volunteers. Dogs aren’t allowed in the preserve (it’s a sensitive habitat) but if they were this might be one of the rare situations it would make sense. There are lots of rattlesnakes though, so even then it wouldnt be safe for the dogs in the right season for the seeds.

          The “farm” we have consists of 4 10ft by 20ft raised beds protected from deer by a tall fence. So far it seems to have made a significant long-term improvement in some areas of the preserve (at least as far as ratio of native species to introduced)