The Kenya Scouts Association has set a new Guinness World Record for the largest simultaneous mangrove tree planting after 4,124 participants successfully planted mangrove trees during World Mangrove Day celebrations at the Jomvu Kuu Mangrove Site in Mombasa County.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

The achievement surpassed the minimum requirement of 3,000 participants set by Guinness World Records, with the exercise conducted in partnership with the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) as part of the country's ongoing mangrove restoration programme.

Announcing the results, the Guinness World Records adjudicator confirmed that after reviewing all documentation, remotely witnessing the exercise and verifying compliance with all the required guidelines, Kenya had officially achieved a new world record.

Before confirming the record, the Guinness World Records adjudicator said participants had to correctly plant young native mangrove trees, leave enough space for healthy growth and avoid using machinery, with only those who met all the requirements included in the final count.

📌 What You Need to Know

"To qualify for the record, participants had to correctly plant young native mangrove trees, leave enough space between each tree for healthy growth and refrain from using machinery. Only those who met all the requirements were included in the final count," the GWR adjudicator said.

The record-breaking exercise brought together thousands of Scouts under the supervision of Kenya Forest Service (KFS) officers and appointed stewards, who monitored participants to ensure every stage of the exercise complied with Guinness World Records standards.

Beyond securing a place in the Guinness World Records, the initiative aims to accelerate the restoration of Kenya's mangrove forests, which protect coastlines from erosion, support marine biodiversity, improve fisheries and absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide, making them a critical tool in combating climate change.

Congratulating everyone involved, Forestry Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa described the achievement as a major milestone in Kenya's environmental conservation journey.

She noted that under the leadership of President William Ruto, Kenya has restored 91.6 million mangroves within the last three years, representing more than 65 per cent of the country's ten-year target of restoring 140 million mangroves under the 15 Billion Tree Growing Programme.

The CS said mangrove ecosystems remain vital national assets because they protect coastlines from erosion, conserve biodiversity, enhance fisheries productivity, capture carbon and support the livelihoods of coastal communities.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke