Next-gen tree planting tracker’s global rollout

In an announcement set to resonate with forestry operations worldwide, the next evolution of the STA logger—known as the STA Explorer—is due to launch in late 2025. Designed to bring more precision, flexibility, and ergonomic efficiency to field-based tree planting operations, the new STA Explorer builds upon the proven foundations of its predecessor while introducing powerful new capabilities specifically geared toward forestry applications.

STA Explorer devices will be sent to select partners across Australia, New Zealand, South America, and North America beginning mid-2025, ahead of a broader commercial release in the fourth quarter. One of the first to trial the STA Explorer in the field will be Uruguay-based forestry company Montes del Plata, whose use of the original STA logger has already helped reshape their approach to planting accountability.

The original STA logger has already seen widespread uptake across the forestry and conservation sectors, focusing on herbicide application. Its lightweight form factor and ability to be attached to a variety of tools—without requiring any modifications—have made it a popular choice for recording precise movements in the field.

The STA Explorer retains that same versatility. Whether mounted to a spraying lance or attached to a planting shovel, it moves fluidly between workflows, capturing activity across operations without interruption. For forestry companies tracking replanting or regeneration compliance, this flexibility is especially valuable.

But the STA Explorer goes further—packing in hardware upgrades and sensing capabilities specifically tuned to the nuances of tree planting.

One of the headline features of the STA Explorer is the integration of an onboard accelerometer designed to automatically detect tree planting actions. This sensor-based recognition allows workers to operate as normal—without pushing buttons or logging points manually—while the device accurately marks each planting event.

To address an important pain point in digital planting records, the STA Explorer includes a built-in safeguard: when multiple planting motions are detected within close proximity, it flags the subsequent entries as “retries.” These typically indicate a replanting of the same hole due to a failed attempt, and the system avoids double-counting them as separate trees. For plantation companies seeking to ensure both coverage and accuracy, this layer of intelligence adds critical value.

Data collected by the device is stored locally and processed later, allowing for full offline operation—a feature particularly important for remote forestry sites where connectivity is limited or non-existent.

Another major leap in the STA Explorer platform is the introduction of a high-accuracy variant. While one model will offer the same dependable positioning as the original logger, the second will support post-processed kinematic (PPK) workflows using national base station infrastructure (when available). This allows forestry operators to refine GPS tracks to sub-foot accuracy—or even to within centimetres in certain environments.

This enhancement is expected to be particularly valuable in high-value planting zones or for carbon accounting purposes, where location accuracy is tied to compliance or performance payments. It also opens up new opportunities in precision forestry, where the geolocation of each tree may play a role in long-term monitoring or resource planning.

The STA Explorer is notably smaller and lighter than its predecessor—a deliberate design shift informed by feedback from forestry teams, especially those involved in repetitive planting making it perfect for planting shovels and dibble bars.

Like the original, it mounts securely without any alteration to the tool itself, supporting rapid interchange between tasks or even between contractors. This plug-and-play approach keeps downtime low and simplifies adoption.

One of the most significant trials of the STA Explorer will take place in Uruguay with Montes del Plata, a joint venture between global forestry companies Arauco and Stora Enso. The company has been an early adopter of planting tool tracking through its collaboration with Ferrando & Asociados, who introduced the original STA logger into operational trials in 2023 following their attendance at ForestTech the previous year.

Santiago Ferrando, Director of Ferrando & Asociados, played a key role in initiating that trial and will be directly involved in testing the STA Explorer. He explains, “In Uruguay and the broader region, forestry companies have been increasingly adopting precision silviculture practices in recent years. Technologies like the STA logger are crucial for enhancing the traceability of manual operations.”

Santiago sees the data produced from the STA logger—and soon the STA Explorer—as the first step in an analytical pipeline to improve decision-making. “In the era of AI, the data captured by these loggers greatly assists in explaining events occurring post-planting. Previously, correlating these events with climate, soil conditions, or other factors was difficult due to limited operational traceability.”

The trial will assess how the STA Explorer performs within local manual planting workflows in Uruguay, as well as the accuracy of its post-processed results in regional conditions, ahead of the device’s global release.

With forestry organisations under increasing pressure to validate planting efforts, optimise labour, and support ESG reporting, tools like the STA Explorer are arriving at a pivotal time. Its design reflects a blend of real-world forestry needs and technological innovation—a mix that aims to bring simplicity to what is otherwise a complex and highly distributed field operation.

While the full rollout of the STA Explorer is still several months away, early signals suggest it could become a new standard in how planting activity is recorded, audited, and understood across the forestry sector.