A labourer prepares to plant saplings for an annual tree plantation campaign on the outskirts of Prayagraj in northern Uttar Pradesh state, India. Photo Credit: Associated Press
Environment IndiaVolunteers Plant 250 Million Trees… in One Day!
A whopping 250 million saplings have been planted in a single day in the most populated state of India as part of a collective effort to cut carbon emissions and combat climate change.
“We are committed to increasing the forest cover of [the state] Uttar Pradesh to over 15% of the total land area in the next five years,” says state forest official Manoj Singh.
It took millions of volunteers to plant the saplings in forests, farms, schools, along riverbanks, and highways in a campaign that was led by government officials, lawmakers, and activists. India plans on having 95 million hectares – or a third of its total land area – covered in vegetation by 2030. To this effect, the country has allocated thus far $6.2 billion for tree planting.
