Canopy Raft

How do researchers study the tops of rain forests? One way is to use a canopy raft, which is flown up and settled on the very tops of trees.

canopy rafts are extraordinary things. they're basically enormous nets attached to an inflatable frame and are dropped onto trees from airships, resulting in a viewing platform like no other which can also be used as a base from which to hang using climbing gear. the raft above is the solvin bretzel, a new design by gilles ebersolt which due to its pretzel-inspired shape is both safer to use and more effective than older versions. researchers can spend days at a time on the raft (hence the tent) and due to its extremely light weight the trees are left unharmed.

deputy dog shows us several other ways scientists can get to the tops of forests to study the ecosystems that sustain the majority of our planet's species. http://deputy-dog.com/2009/06/how-to-get-to-top-of-forest.html

(image credit: Pyot Laurent/Ocean Vert)