Canadian Creator Breaks Mangrove Tree Planting World Record, Elevating the Importance of Verified Nature Restoration
Antoine Moses plants 47,460 trees in 24 hours in Kenya, demonstrating the importance of restoration being tracked and measured over time
VANCOUVER, BC, May 12, 2026 /CNW/ - Today, the Canadian world-record tree planter, Antoine Moses, announces he has broken the world record by planting 47,460 mangrove trees in 24 hours. The mangrove trees will be tracked, measured, and monitored using veritree's verified nature restoration platform.
Moses, who grew up in Carleton-sur-Mer, Quebec, and now lives in Vancouver, B.C., has built an audience of more than 1.5 million followers on Instagram, generating nearly a billion views with content that makes environmental action feel accessible. After breaking the Canadian tree planting record, Moses was inspired by the work of EarthLungs and veritree to take his movement beyond Canada and bring it to a global stage. His world record in Kenya aims to prove that planting a tree can connect people across borders, but it has to be done the right way - tracked, monitored, and verified over the long term.
"Planting a tree is one of the simplest and most human acts when done right," said Antoine Moses. "At a time when the world feels increasingly divided, it's something everyone can understand and take part in."
Investing in the restoration of ecosystems in Kenya is especially critical. The country's five "water tower" forests cover less than 2% of land but supply nearly 75% of its water1. Despite ongoing conservation efforts, a 2020 government report found deforestation continues to outpace reforestation, leaving a net loss each year2. Mangroves play a vital role in this effort, helping protect coastlines from erosion, supporting fisheries, and storing significant amounts of carbon.
"Bringing global attention to nature restoration matters," said Pieter van Midwoud at Ecosia. "High-visibility moments like this are also an important reminder that successful restoration is about far more than putting trees in the ground. In mangrove ecosystems, especially, it means restoring waterways and natural tidal flows so forests can recover and regenerate over time. Long-term ecosystem health is the true measure of success."
In the lead-up to breaking the world record, Moses, with support from EarthLungs, conducted several practice sessions and implemented detailed systems to ensure planting was done correctly, with careful consideration given to species selection and site-specific planting zones.
On-the-ground data will be captured using veritree's platform, including species, location, planting density, and timing, creating a traceable record from the moment the mangroves are planted. The platform synthesizes thousands of field, satellite, and ecosystem data points over time to monitor restoration progress and long-term survivability, using AI-driven insights to help assess ecosystem health at scale. veritree's technology ensures the record is not just about how many trees were planted, but whether they were planted properly and are contributing to lasting environmental impact.
"Planting trees is just one part of the equation," said David Luba, co-founder of veritree. "Lasting impact comes from restoring entire ecosystems, including water systems, biodiversity, and local economies, and ensuring that work is tracked and verified over time. Antoine's world record is helping set a higher standard for how restoration efforts are measured and delivered over time."
The initiative is also being carried out with support from DECIEM, the parent company to skincare brands such as NIOD and The Ordinary, and EarthLungs, a local organization leading community-driven restoration efforts in Kenya. Dozens of local planters are contributing their effort on the ground, creating paid work opportunities and ensuring the restoration is rooted in local knowledge and long-term stewardship.
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1 Source: International Institute for Sustainable Development, |
2 Source: Unfccc |
About veritree
veritree is a platform powering the global restorative economy. By unifying millions of data inputs--satellite imagery, field sensors, and on-the-ground evidence--veritree's AI-driven platform brings trust, traceability, and measurable impact to nature-based solutions. With nearly 200 million trees pledged across ecosystems from mangroves and kelp to wildfire reforestation, it helps forward-thinking companies move from intention to auditable outcomes at scale. Learn more at veritree.com.
SOURCE Veritree
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