Kenyan Environmentalist Attempts to Plant 24,000 Trees in Single Day for World Record
Kaptagat, 23 April 2026
Hillary Kiplagat Kibiwott is racing against time at Kaptagat Forest to break the Guinness World Record for tree planting, needing to plant 24,000 seedlings in 24 hours to surpass the current record of 23,060 trees.
Record Attempt Underway in Kessup Forest
The marathon tree-planting effort began on 21st April 2026 at Kaptagat Forest in Kameza, Kessup Forest Block, Elgeyo Marakwet County [1]. Kibiwott, whose name means ‘one born in the rainy season’ in the Kalenjin language [1][2], targets planting at least 24,000 seedlings across 30.15 hectares to surpass the current record of 23,060 trees set in 2021 by Antoine Moses in La Crete, Alberta, Canada [1][2][3]. By 7:00 PM on the first day, Kibiwott had already planted 5,628 trees, maintaining a steady pace despite the physically demanding nature of the repetitive digging, planting, and moving process [2][3].
Government Support and National Environmental Goals
The attempt has garnered significant official backing, with Elgeyo-Marakwet Governor Wesley Rotich flagging off the initiative [2][3]. Kenya Forest Service officials, including Regional Forest Conservator John Rono and County Forest Conservator Richard Guya, are providing technical supervision and monitoring throughout the attempt [1][2][3]. Principal Secretary for Forestry Gitonga Mugambi emphasised the broader significance of the effort, stating: ‘His effort speaks to a wider national mission, one that reflects Kenya’s commitment to restore degraded landscapes, safeguard vital water catchments, and realise the President’s ambition of growing 15 billion trees by 2032’ [1][2][3].
Connection to Kenya’s Jaza Miti Programme
The record attempt directly supports Kenya’s ambitious ‘Jaza Miti’ campaign, launched in December 2022, which aims to increase tree cover to 30% and restore over 5.1 million hectares of degraded land by 2032 [2][3]. Dr Chris Kiptoo, Principal Secretary at the National Treasury and Patron of the Kaptagat Integrated Conservation Programme, framed the attempt as transformative climate action, noting: ‘Through this record-breaking attempt, he is planting more than trees; he is planting in us the courage and resolve to push beyond our limits in forest restoration, challenging us to rethink what is possible in climate action’ [1][2][3]. The initiative demonstrates how individual environmental action can align with national conservation objectives whilst potentially setting new global benchmarks for reforestation efforts.
Marathon Challenge Continues Into Night
As the attempt progresses, teams continue coordinating to ensure correct seedling planting whilst maintaining the required pace to achieve the 24,000-tree target within the 24-hour timeframe [1]. The challenge intensifies as night approaches, with the relentless nature of the task testing both physical endurance and precision planting techniques [1][3]. Kibiwott, co-founder of the Green Earth Ambassadors Foundation, must plant 18372 additional trees beyond his 7:00 PM tally to break the record, requiring sustained effort throughout the remaining hours [2]. The attempt represents not merely an individual achievement but a demonstration of community-driven environmental action that could inspire broader participation in Kenya’s reforestation initiatives [2][3].