Why did Dryad develop Silvanet?

Wildfires are no longer rare. They accelerate climate change, drive biodiversity loss, and threaten communities. At Dryad Networks, we realized that preventing them early is far more powerful than reacting later.

Silvanet was born from a belief that technology could meet nature’s urgency. 

Forests are vital. They provide the oxygen we breathe, the biodiversity that sustains ecosystems, and an irreplaceable defense against climate change. Yet every year, millions of hectares are lost to wildfires, with devastating consequences for the planet, people, and the economy. The scale of the damage is staggering, and the urgency is clear. We must act now, and we must act effectively.

Dryad was founded on the conviction that it is possible to dramatically reduce the impact of wildfires through technology, innovation, and focus. We developed Silvanet as an answer to this global crisis. A solution that empowers those who manage forests to detect wildfires before they spread, giving them the critical time needed to respond.   

Our Focus: Preventing Human-Caused Wildfires

The majority of wildfires are preventable. In fact, research shows that over 80 percent of wildfires are caused by human activity. This insight shapes our strategy. Rather than attempting to blanket the entire globe's 3.8 billion hectares of forest with sensors, we target the specific areas where the risk is highest, the intersections of human activity and natural woodland.

These include roads, power lines, railways, tourist areas, footpaths, and the wildland-urban interface where communities meet forests. Our models estimate that these high-risk zones represent less than one percent of total forest area. By focusing on this small but critical fraction, we can prevent the majority of devastating wildfires.

Detecting Fires Before They Spread

Most fire detection systems rely on visible smoke. But by the time smoke is visible from space or a surveillance tower, a fire has often grown too large to be quickly extinguished. Traditional methods leave little room for prevention, they offer only reaction.

Silvanet changes that. Silvanet sensors detect the gases released at the very beginning of a fire, before there are visible flames. This early stage, known as pyrolysis, is when materials start to break down from heat. By catching fires at this earliest stage, often within an hour of ignition, Silvanet gives firefighters the best chance to respond quickly and stop the fire before it spreads. This extra time can make all the difference between a small, manageable fire and a major disaster.

Protecting Biodiversity, People, and the Economy

Forests are home to 75 to 80 percent of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity. Every hectare preserved saves lives, not just human lives, but the rich, interconnected web of mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects that underpin global ecosystems.

Built for the Future

Sustainability is embedded in our design principles. Our sensors and gateways are built with recyclable materials, and we are committed to minimizing emissions through localized end-of-life processing. Dryad’s vision for Silvanet is not just to serve today’s forests, but to ensure they thrive for generations to come.

We developed Silvanet because we believe forests shouldn’t burn unchecked. Because acting early changes everything.