Most trees planted in 24 hours
29-30 August 2008 – Durango, Mexico
Following on from Guinness World Records Editor-in-Chief, Craig Glenday’s, visit in 2007 for the largest bowl of soup, adjudicator Ralph Hannah was invited to Durango by Mexico’s national forestry commission (CONAFOR) to observe the attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the most trees planted in 24 hours. The record was part of a wider campaign by the Mexican federal government to repopulate vast areas of Mexico with native tree species.
Dedication and preparation is necessary for any Guinness World Record, and in this particular case the organisation was exceptional. The 179 hectare plantation had been divided into 33 ‘parcels’ with each parcel having a dedicated manager. Each manager guided his team of 6 to 12 tree planters throughout the attempt and gave hourly updates to a control centre which compiled the total results. The majority of the 300 planters were farmhands from around the state of Durango who had experience in tree planting.
The experience paid dividends since despite the difficult weather conditions - it is currently rainy season in Durango - the planters surpassed the previous record of 254,464 trees set in Tamil Nadu, India in 2005 after just six hours. The final total stood at 348,492 trees, a new Guinness World Record and a wonderful day for the organisers, planters, volunteers and the environment as local specialists are confident of an 85% survival rate for the two species of pine trees used in Durango.
15 September 2008