Reforestation: Ecuador plants 647,250 trees, breaks Guinness record

By NewsGram Staff Writer

Forests are one of the most important natural resources that have been gifted to mankind for its sustained existence on earth. Conservation of forests is, therefore, a necessity that requires to be addressed as a priority.

Recently, Ecuador broke the world record for restoration when thousands of people planted 647,250 trees of more than 200 species.

"I have just been informed that we have broken the Guinness record for reforestation," said President Rafael Correa.

Explaining about the adopted measures taken for restoration, Correa said, "The seedlings were planted all over Ecuador, which boasts varied geography from its Pacific coast, high Andean peaks and low Amazon basin areas."

Environment Minister Lorena Tapia tweeted that 44,883 people planted the trees on more than 2,000 hectares (4,942 acres) of land.

Hundreds of varieties of plants and trees were planted as part of the mass reforestation effort, said Carlos Martinez, Guinness Records adjudicator.

"There is no record in history of similar events involving over 150 species," he told Agence France-Presse.

Volunteers who planted trees in more than 150 spots across Ecuador said that while they were proud of the record, they wouldn't mind seeing it broken again.

Last September, Philippines broke the record for the most trees planted in an hour with 3.2 million seedlings sown as a part of a national forestation program.

Ecuador holds several other world records, including the most plastic bottles recycled in one week and the most people buried in sand simultaneously, as per Guinness.