Protecting our natural resources
Protecting our natural resources
ETH Zurich generates a wide array of insights and technologies to protect biodiversity and strengthen ecosystems – from monitoring that improves sustainability in rainforest management to pollution-fighting bacteria and sensor-driven water conservation. Find a selection of projects, supported by the Ricola Foundation, ETH Escher Circle and donors of the Pioneer Fellowship Programme and Student Project House.
Research projects
BiodivX
Professor Stefano Mintchev
As part of the BiodivX project, researchers developed autonomous robots and analytical technologies that collect and evaluate environmental DNA (eDNA), sounds and images in complex settings such as rainforest canopies. The aim is to measure and better understand biodiversity in these valuable ecosystems. To the website
Alpine Vegetation
Professor Alex Widmer, Professor Jake Alexander
This project examines the ecological and evolutionary processes that shape the response of alpine plants to a changing climate, with the goal of improving the conservation of alpine plants and ecosystems. Learn more
Diversity in coral reefs
Professor Shinichi Sunagawa
A DNA-based approach enables the rapid creation of a catalog of reef biodiversity, integrating previously described species while resolving cryptic and newly discovered ones. This offers an efficient, scalable, and, once established, capable method of identifying and documenting reef-scale biodiversity by environmental DNA (eDNA) monitoring. Learn more
Start-ups
Caterra
Caterra’s robot uses a laser-based system to remove weeds growing in close proximity to crops – enabling scalable and ecological farming that’s free of chemicals. Learn more
CellX Biosolutions
Using bacteria that can break down persistent chemical pollutants, CellX offers an alternative to conventional disposal methods and plays a valuable role in reducing environmental contamination. To the website
Digit Soil
The start-up supports farmers in understanding the value of soil biological activity through soil enzymatic activity measuring devices that assess soil fertility. In research, the devices enable lab-independent on-site measuring. Learn more
Riverkin
High-resolution freshwater monitoring using Riverkin sensors allows to track water quality, support conservation, and inform better water management. Learn more
Synature
Synature’s smart microphones record biodiversity levels fully autonomously, detecting over 10,000 species via sound. The aim is to enable efficient tracking of conservation projects, regenerative agriculture and ESG reporting. To the website
“We support projects at the intersection of science and nature, to protect the Earth’s natural life-support systems for future generations.”
Raphael Richterich
President of the Ricola Foundation
