66 Million Trees Planted in 12 Hours in India

https://youtu.be/Q-EvGYIu8HQ

Armed with a variety of garden tools and toting buckets of water, a volunteer army in India planted more than 66 million trees in 12 hours as part of a record-breaking environmental pledge.

More than 1.5 million people gathered on July 2 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. to plant saplings along the Narmada River in the state of Madhya Pradesh, reports the Independent.

State Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced the news on Twitter.

"By planting trees we are not only serving Madhya Pradesh but the world at large," he tweeted.

In 2016, volunteers set a world record in Uttar Pradesh by planting more than 50 million trees in a day.

Representatives from Guinness World Records reportedly monitored the plantings and are expected to confirm the new record within a few weeks.

Under the Paris Agreement, India agreed to spend $6 billion to reforest 12 percent of its land, increasing its total forest cover to 235 million acres by 2030, according to National Geographic.

"In Paris Climate Change meeting it was decided we need to plant trees to save environment for future generations," Chouhan tweeted.

Volunteers planted more than 20 different species of trees in two dozen areas along the river basin to increase the saplings' chances of survival.

It's not just about getting the trees in the ground, many people have pointed out on social media. They are concerned that the trees won't be watered and cared for, now that they've been planted.

Sub Divisional Magistrate Madhya Pradesh addressed those concerns on Facebook.

"Aftercare is definitely more important and we hope to ensure that as well with the efforts of all those who planted the tree. It is not a government initiative alone, it is the commitment of children, youth and active junta of MP!"