In the forests of northern Canada, where the terrain is rough and the work relentless, Antoine Moses turned a gruelling job into a record-breaking feat of endurance. On 17 July 2021, the young Canadian planted an astonishing 23,060 trees in just 24 hours, earning a Guinness World Records title for the most trees planted by an individual in a day. What makes the feat even more remarkable is the pace, averaging roughly one tree every four seconds.Antoine Moses is a professional tree planter from Quebec who has spent years working in Canada’s reforestation industry, where speed and efficiency are essential. With a background in endurance sports, including long-distance running, he approached tree planting like an athlete and consistently pushed his limits. For Moses, the record carried a larger purpose, reflecting his belief that individual effort can contribute to restoring forests and addressing environmental challenges.
How a man planted one tree every four seconds
Moses spent years building the speed and stamina required to attempt such a record.“I’m also really athletic… every year my endurance and fitness had been building up,” he said, highlighting the role of physical conditioning in his success.Tree planting in Canada is physically demanding, often carried out in remote areas where workers spend long hours carrying heavy bags of seedlings and tools. Moses trained his body to maintain speed and consistency over extended periods.
Planting around 16 trees per minute required a precise and repetitive rhythm, digging, placing the sapling correctly, and moving forward without breaking pace. Reflecting on the moment he surpassed the previous record, he said, “I was stoked and happy… but not even 10 seconds after I just kept going.” The focus remained on maintaining momentum.Moses surpassed the previous record of 15,170 trees, set in 2001, by a significant margin.
The attempt took place in Alberta, Canada, on land prepared for reforestation, where logged or burned areas are routinely replanted.A small support team assisted by supplying saplings and maintaining efficiency, while the planting itself was entirely his own effort.
A personal and environmental mission
For Moses, the challenge extended beyond numbers.“With all that craziness in the world… it feels even more important to beat a record like this one,” he said, linking the effort to environmental awareness.He also emphasised the broader impact, saying, “My record would show the impact that one person can make on the planet’s health.”Over the years, he has planted hundreds of thousands of trees, contributing to large-scale reforestation efforts.“You have to keep your health up… it’s almost like everybody who plants trees is an athlete,” he said.His background in endurance sports, including marathons, helped him sustain long hours of intense physical activity.
The record attempt itself lasted nearly 15 hours of continuous planting, testing both physical and mental resilience.
A record meant to be broken
Despite achieving a global milestone, Moses does not see the record as untouchable.He has expressed openness to others attempting to break the record and has indicated he would support such efforts.He has expressed interest in pushing the limits further, including longer-duration planting challenges.The story of Antoine Moses reflects discipline and endurance. By combining athletic training with environmental work, he has demonstrated how individual effort can scale into something much larger. His record stands as both a benchmark and an invitation for others to push further.
