Rainforest Connection, a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco, is collaborating with Hitachi to protect rainforests from deforestation. They use custom logic boards called “guardians” placed on treetops with solar panels to record the forest’s soundscape and detect threats like illegal logging and poaching.
Hitachi provided AI-powered digital solutions for rapid analysis of the vast acoustic data and developed a cloud data lake for efficient storage and analysis. Their algorithm can predict logging up to five days in advance, helping to reduce illegal forestry operations by 35% worldwide. The partnership empowers local communities to set up guardians and protect forests across the globe.
Rainforest Connection aims to gather a million years of audio data over the next decade, with Hitachi’s support driving real digital innovation in environmental conservation.