Reforestation by Seedlings and Saplings: Challenges and Solutions

Abstract

Despite the urgent need to accelerate the development of intensive forest management and reforestation technologies in Russia, the problem of creating progressive technologies and techniques to increase the efficiency of reforestation by seedlings and saplings of forest crops has not been completely resolved, which are serious challenges for accelerated and high-quality reforestation. Of particular concern is the lack of patented equipment competitive in the domestic and foreign markets for reforestation by seedlings and saplings of forest crops that can accelerate the creation of highly productive forests. To answer these challenges, it is proposed as a tool for the synthesis of patentable solutions that increase the efficiency of forest regeneration by seedlings and saplings of forest crops, to use the knowledge base formed on the basis of patent information search and the author’s methodology of functional, structural and technological analysis. A classification of the main areas of patenting in this area is proposed. The most characteristic patented objects of technologies and equipment that can be used as analogues and prototypes for the synthesis and patenting of new intellectual property for planting seedlings/saplings, as well as business entities patenting in this area, are identified. The effects (goals) for the achievement of which the technical solutions incorporated in the patents are directed are revealed. Using the generated knowledge base and the FSTA methodology, a synthesis of new patentable technical solutions has been carried out. Its features and some results are given on the example of several basic objects of machines and manual devices for planting seedlings/saplings. It is proved that the application of the proposed methodology to the selected object for improving the processes of planting seedlings/saplings is effective, which is confirmed by the development and patenting of fundamentally new technical solutions for equipping forest regeneration with seedlings and saplings of forest crops.