YOUNG RESEARCHERS AWARDS

Two students from Stellenbosch University doing their Master’s in Engineering have reached the international round of the 2025 Blue Sky Young Researchers and Innovation competition. Their projects impressed the Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa (PAMSA) for their relevance to the forestry sector, which plays a key role in producing wood and paper.

The competition is managed by the International Council of Forestry and Paper Associations (ICFPA) and seeks projects from researchers who are working in forest-based science, products using wood, pulp or paper as raw materials or who process innovations throughout the forest sector value chain. The projects will be judged against those from the US, Canada, Europe and Australia. An international panel will select the top three global finalists who will then present their projects at the ICFPA Global Roundtable, taking place in May 2025 in New York.

According to PAMSA executive director Jane Molony, the projects of Chris Erasmus and Yasmin De Raay offer significant value for forestry companies by enhancing sustainable forest management and improving crop yields. Both focus on the monitoring of tree health which plays a critical role in tree resilience.

Erasmus has developed a wireless dendrometer and environmental sensing system for the forestry industry. This solar-powered device tracks tree growth patterns, water dynamics and environmental stressors such as temperature, humidity and soil moisture.

De Raay is specialising in agritech, focussing on integrating technology and nature conservation. Through her work in the open-air eucalyptus laboratory, she has had the opportunity to apply engineering to sustainable forestry. Her project introduces a mini rhizotron system designed to remotely monitor root growth in forestry plantations.

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