Drone-sown woodland a 'first' for the Scottish Borders
Last updated 4th Dec 2025
Specialist drones are being used to help plant thousands of trees in a difficult to reach part of the Scottish Borders.
For the first time in the UK, operators have been licensed to fly beyond the line of sight while dispersing pelleted seeds in the hills surrounding Talla Reservoir.
It's part of a project to protect the quality of drinking water at the site, which serves Edinburgh with clean tap water, by stabilising the soil and reducing the amount of organic matter washed into the water during periods of extreme rainfall - the frequency of which is increasing due to climate change.
Stephen Garbett, from Scottish Water, is working with rural business specialists Bell Ingram and AutoSpray Systems on the groundbreaking woodland creation project.
“The nature of the landscape here means that traditional methods of tree planting would be extremely difficult and time consuming to carry out so to be able to harness this drone technology to effectively open up areas of the site like this is great," he said.
And he added: "We are looking forward to seeing the results now that the first phase of drone seeding has been completed.”
READ MORE: Center Parcs plans to build first holiday village in Scotland set for approval
The Talla project builds on the back of other local initiatives such as Talla and Gameshope to the south of the reservoir owned by the Borders Forest Trust, helping to link up habitats and create wildlife corridors as part of the Wild Heart Expansion Project, which has significant benefits for biodiversity.
A total of 55 hectares of the scheme could be made up of montane woodland, making it one of the largest montane schemes in the Southern Uplands.
The important habitat has almost vanished in Scotland due to grazing by red deer and sheep and will have a positive impact on biodiversity and flood mitigation in the area.
Climate Action Secretary Gillian Martin said: “Our forests and woodlands are a natural powerhouse, and one of the most important resources we have to tackle the climate and nature emergencies.
"I welcome this initiative from Scottish Water which will help to create new woodland – helping to increase local biodiversity, whilst creating a natural way to reduce flooding in the area.”
For more stories from the Scottish Borders and North Northumberland, bookmark our new home page - https://hellorayo.co.uk/greatest-hits/borders/news/