Two master’s students in engineering at Stellenbosch University, Yasmin de Raay and Chris Erasmus, have advanced to 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 originality and relevance to the forestry sector, which plays a key role in producing wood and paper.
Managed by the International Council of Forestry and Paper Associations (ICFPA), the competition seeks projects from researchers under 30 who are working in forest-based science, products using wood, pulp or paper as a raw material, process improvements or other innovations throughout the forest sector value chain.
As first and second place winners in the South African competition, Erasmus and De Raay, were awarded R15 000 and R10 000 respectively. Their projects will now be judged against those from the US, Canada, Europe and Australia and they are in contention to attend the ICFPA CEO Global Roundtable in New York in May.
“As a sector that has for decades centred on the renewability of wood,” said Jane Molony, Pamsa executive director, “both of these projects offer significant value for forestry companies by enhancing sustainable forest management and improving crop yields. This, in turn, supports the sustainable supply of wood into pulp, paper, and sawn timber industries.”
Both students’ submissions focused on the monitoring of aspects of tree health, which plays a critical part in tree resilience and resource optimisation, by using technology to capture and analyse data continuously and remotely.
Erasmus, who is completing a master’s in electrical and electronic engineering, has developed a wireless dendrometer and environmental sensing system tailored for the forestry industry.
This solar-powered device tracks tree growth patterns, water dynamics, and environmental stressors, such as temperature, humidity and soil moisture with precision. It offers a cost-effective, low-maintenance solution, reducing the need for human intervention while ensuring consistent accuracy and reliability.
De Raay is pursuing a master’s degree in industrial engineering, specialising in agritech with a strong focus on integrating technology and nature conservation.
Her project introduces a mini rhizotron system designed to remotely monitor root growth and dynamics in forestry plantations. By using machine-learning techniques and capturing microscopic images of roots, this system provides continuous, cost-effective access to vital root growth data, even in remote field settings, improving resource optimisation without sacrificing quality.
