Green Cubes: A digital revolution for rainforest conservation

According to the World Wildlife Fund, global wildlife populations have witnessed an alarming average decline of 69% over the past 50 years, due to activities such as deforestation, livestock farming and palm oil production. In response to this, R-evolution’s forest initiative stands as a beacon of hope. It goes beyond mere conservation, redefining the relationship between technology, science and environmental stewardship.

Green Cubes – A new approach for rainforest conservation

The Green Cubes concept provides precise volume, health assessments and biodiversity trends of rainforests at scale, collaborating with scientists and local communities to strengthen conservation efforts, while offering forest owners a sustainable and recurring income. As a result, Green Cubes offers committed enterprises an opportunity to promote biodiversity conservation through an annual sponsorship model – to meet the requirements for ESG engagement and differentiate through proactive contributions to biodiversity conservation. The sponsorable assets, 'Green Cubes', are an output from the 3D reality capture of the forest, that represents the extent by volume. 1 cubic meter = 1 Green Cube. This is complemented using the in-situ data collection that is analyzed by the scientist community to identify the health and biodiversity trends.

Powered by technology, validated by science

Green Cubes conducts accurate forest assessments on a large scale, working in collaboration with scientists and local communities to enhance conservation initiatives and connect actors across the globe. R-evolution has led developed the Green Cubes Nature Methodology, a science-based, peer-reviewed approach to forest monitoring. The methodology describes volume assessment based on density and height, along with a health assessment of the forest capacity to sustain life, as well as biodiversity indication measures of flora and fauna.

Technology deep dive

Hexagon's cutting-edge technology, featuring geospatial solutions, LiDAR capabilities, computational process and advanced visualisation tools, provides the standardised data, metrics and consistent frameworks required for an ambitious endeavor like the forest initiative.

Collection

Country Mapper – Airborne Topographic LiDAR

Combining a large-format photogrammetric camera with a high-performance LiDAR to collect foundational geospatial data simultaneously. Learn more

BLK2GO – In-situ LiDAR

Handheld imaging laser scanner that creates a 3D digital twin. Learn more

Processing

MelownTech – Point Cloud Segmentation

3D natural and urban landscape reconstruction software system to produces a geometric 3D model, orthoimagery, DEM and land cover in a single unified, automatic process. Learn more

Leica Cyclone –Point Cloud Processing

Leica solution to process, prepare, manage and analyse point clouds. Learn more

Platform

HxDR

Powers Hexagon digital reality applications with storage, visualization, collaboration tools, and automated microservices for data processing. HxDR host, manage and present the ‘Green Cubes’ data, reporting and sponsorship management. Learn more

Visualisation

MyVR – Visualization

Develop and deliver a wide range of visualization technologies for mobile, desktop, AR, VR and Web. Learn more

Luciad – Visualization

High performance and complete accuracy, with desktop-like visualization of satellite and other imagery, vector-based data and dynamic content, such as tracks. Learn more

Connecting biodiversity corridors to conserve forest ecosystems

In partnership with La Gamba Tropenstation, an Austrian research station associated with the University of Vienna, R-evolution is supporting the preservation and expansion of the COBIGA corridor in Costa Rica. This corridor serves as a vital link between two essential national parks, home to numerous unique and endangered species. In an initial effort, R-evolution is mapping 100 square kilometers of rainforest, focusing on 500 hectares that represent 125 million Green Cubes

A vision for the future

Mid-2023 R-evolution started a journey into forest biodiversity conservation, a decision that excluded the carbon credits market from design. The reason being to prioritize the fight against deforestation and biodiversity loss vs additionality and afforestation, as the later already has significant incentives with a very active carbon market.

Green Cubes first projects are taking place in Costa Rica, helping the COBIGA corridor, that connects two national forests located in the south west of the country. There, the Green Cubes Nature Methodology has been anchored, combining technology with science, leveraging on existing local practices to preserve and monitor biodiversity, an already proven model augmented with factual data on the extent of the forest with Hexagon technology.

The future is clear, there is an urgent need to preserve the biodiversity of our planet, not just at rainforest but for all kinds of ecosystems, boreal forest, savanna, deserts, etc. To make that happen, the Green Cube Nature Methodology will evolve, the technology will be broader, covering other aspects but also being more autonomous and industrialized, so as the algorithms that will process that data. Lastly, the scientist ecosystem will emerge, becoming a truly international entity that, combining their science with the Green Cubes technology, will provide key conclusions for securing proper conservation of the critical habitats from this planet.

“Our planet is not flat and neither are our forests. The Green Cube approach empowers corporations to make a tangible impact by sponsoring rainforest biodiversity protection, all on a sliding scale of 3D volume Sponsor per Cube that finances the science, technology and forest conservation,” Says Erik Josefsson, CEO of R-evolution.