Border collies help plant trees in Chile

The Border Collie is considered to be the smartest dog breed in the world for a reason. Three wonderful fluffy “shepherds” live in Chile – a mother named Das and two daughters Olivia and Summer, who help to eliminate the consequences of fires.

In 2017, as a result of fires, more than 1 million hectares of the Chilean forest turned into a lifeless wasteland. In order for trees, grasses, flowers and shrubs to grow again in the scorched area, you need to sow seeds. Covering such a vast area with the help of people would be very labor intensive.

Francisca Torres, owner of a companion dog training center, found a non-standard way out of the situation. She sent three border collies on a special mission. Das, Olivia and Summer run around the wasteland with special backpacks attached to their backs. While they are playing and frolicking, a mixture of seeds of various plants is poured out of the container through the net.

During one walk, these active beauties scatter more than 9 kg of seeds at a distance of 25 kilometers. The earth fertilized with ashes will be fertile ground for new plants. It remains only to wait for heavy rain.

The locals and Franziska are very pleased with the results of the experiment. In an interview, the woman said: “We have already seen how many plants have begun to sprout on the scorched lands, reviving the burnt forests.” It seems that the dog is not only a friend of man, but also of nature!

If you are thinking about getting a smart dog like this or just want to learn more about the Border Collie breed, we have a whole section on our website dedicated to this wonderful dog 🙂