Russia Deploys Advanced Monitoring System to Protect Forests

A unique research platform, blending drone, satellite, and ground-based data, is helping Russian scientists monitor forests with unprecedented speed and precision.

Russia’s forest scientists are using a cutting-edge scientific system known as 'Strazhnik' (Sentinel) to monitor thousands of hectares of forest. The system has proven effective in assessing forest health using data collected both from the air and from space. On the ground, researchers deploy two weather stations, fixed monitoring sites, and drones. Meanwhile, satellite imagery and remote sensing technologies provide large-scale coverage and terrain modeling, according to VL.ru.

The Strazhnik system is currently operating in the Primorsky Nature Reserve, where scientists monitor air and soil temperature, ground moisture, wind speed, and other environmental indicators in real time.

This homegrown technology allows foresters to gather highly accurate data in a fraction of the time it used to take—cutting months or even years from the traditional research cycle.

Findings from the system will feed into new forest management policies, including recommendations on protecting and restoring spruce forests beyond reserve boundaries.

Researchers also plan to improve the system’s predictive capabilities, aiming to anticipate forest die-offs caused by pests, human activity, or environmental stress. The developers of Strazhnik are working to further enhance the system’s functionality, with the goal of preventing tree loss and minimizing ecological damage.