Drones May Help Replant Forests--If Enough Seeds Take Root

Last year's Castle Fire in California's Sierra Nevada is estimated to have killed more than 10 percent of the world's giant sequoias, the tallest trees on earth. Sequoias can live through many fires over life spans that last thousands of years; their bark is fire-resistant and they rely on fire to reproduce. But as climate change intensifies, wildfires are growing larger and more intense. According to state officials, six of the seven largest wildfires in California history took place roughly within the past year. To help restore fire-ravaged forests and temper the effects of climate change, a handful of young companies want to scatter seeds from drones.