Tree Track is poised to become a robust force in reforestation, aiming to plant 100 million trees by 2028 using ground-breaking drone and seedpod technology.
"We might go bigger than that," said Amir Soleimani, chief executive officer and co-founder of Tree Track. "We need to act fast before the shrubs and invasive plants take over. We're going to be the primary drone company in Canada and North America."
Port Coquitlam-based Tree Track is experiencing timely ascension — thanks in part to Kamloops Innovation (KI) — and rising into aerial action while staggering wildfire numbers reveal both perilous destruction and important work to be done.
About 18.5 million hectares of Canadian land burned in 2023, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, making it the worst wildfire year in recorded national history. B.C. is making a habit of setting dubious wildfire records. Nearly three million hectares were razed last year in the province, more than doubling the previous-worst mark established in 2018.
Tree Track notes on its website treetrack.ca that 15 billion trees are lost annually and only five billion are regenerated, with wildfires, invasive pests and uncontrolled logging among culprits.
"There is no solution to replant those lands," Soleimani said, noting Tree Track drones can reach remote areas inaccessible to humans. "First of all, we are short on labour and when you have wildfires, there are safety issues because trees are burned and, at any time, they might just fall down. We are the only option."
Soleimani boasts agrology expertise, with a PhD in horticulture and a post-degree diploma in project management, and his business partner, Tree Track chief technology officer and co-founder Sam Sarabi, is the drone doctor, with master's degrees in engineering and business administration.
Seedling technology is integral to Tree Track's vision. When fires exceed 300 C, ingredients in soil conducive to growth, such as bacteria and fungus, are destroyed. Tree Track seedpods include tree seeds and between 15 and 20 organic ingredients that inoculate seedbeds with precious soil portfolio extinguished in the fire — achieving germination rates of 85 percent, according to Soleimani.
Tree Track was formed in October of 2022 and quickly reached out to KI, a business accelerator that offers professional mentorship relationships funded by Innovate BC. Interior roots formed and have grown to secure a crucial bond.
"We're a different company after John," Soleimani said, referring to KI entrepreneur-in-residence John Zubak. "He's coaching us on the business side a lot. His advice is amazing."
Zubak is advising on outbound strategies — such as securing pilot projects and contracts in B.C. and beyond — and playing the role of matchmaker, putting Tree Track in touch with key players in Interior reforestation and potential customers that include provincial and federal governments, Indigenous organizations, forestry, mining and oil companies and other non-governmental organizations.
"It's really about trying to help them get the right exposure with the people they need, get the initial tests in place and get all the infrastructure they need to scale, grow and deploy this technology," said Zubak, managing partner of Zubak and Associates.
Pleased with the partnership, Soleimani is floating the idea of Tree Track expansion in Kamloops, an office in KI headquarters at Thompson Rivers University that would provide better access to the wildlife hotbed in the Interior. Zubak's direction on partnership with TRU — including two post-doctoral students through the Mitacs program and advisor Dr. Lauchlan Fraser — is among the reasons for Soleimani's vision for the future.
"You're talking about a company that is going be very important for our whole area, province-wide, for years to come," said Zubak. "They're solving a true problem that we have not just here in B.C., but globally. Just to restore what was burned in 2023, it would take three million people for one week. One drone can do the work of 10 tree planters, but it can work around the clock."
Sarabi said his drone design separates Tree Track from others, noting battery-powered offerings in the market fizzle in comparison to his gas-battery hybrid, which offers major upgrades in maximum payload, flight time and dispersal-mechanism capability. Tree Track drones can fly for about five hours with no payload and 90 minutes with a payload of about 22 pounds — versus roughly 18 minutes and six minutes for similar battery-only models.
Four real-world pilot projects in 2023, including three conducted in partnership with the University of British Columbia (UBC) and one paid pilot test with Tree Canada, explored the viability of 15 diverse tree and shrub species. Test areas included Malcolm Knapp Research Forest in Maple Ridge, Alex Fraser Research Farm near Williams Lake, the UBC campus research farm in Vancouver and the Nicola Watershed near Merritt.
"Our competitors went big, overpromising, and because of that, many relied on them, and they couldn't deliver results," Soleimani said. "So, everybody is waiting on our results. They want to know what our results are, and they'll start working with us, especially the federal government, with the 2 Billion Trees Program."
"When we have the results, when it's successful, we will be the only successful drone-seeding company in North America and we will have tons of contracts," Soleimani said. "We need to introduce seeds and beneficial bacteria and fungus to those fields, otherwise the faces of our forests will change forever."
