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21h ago

Ethiopia Plants 355 Million Seedlings by Dawn in One-Day 700 Million Tree Drive

Mixing exotic with native species without tracking survival rates could undermine Ethiopia’s reforestation goals.

Participants plant local green plants in a park as part of Ethiopia's Green Legacy Initiative, which aims to plant 7.5 billion trees by the end of the year, at Jifara Ber site, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Thursday, July 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Amanuel Birhane)
A participant plants local green plants in a park as part of Ethiopia's Green Legacy Initiative, which aims to plant 7.5 billion trees by the end of the year, at Jifara Ber site, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Thursday, July 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Amanuel Birhane)

Overview

  • Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed joined planting in Jimma and cabinet ministers were dispatched to support regional events.
  • Public offices closed nationwide as thousands of civil servants and millions of volunteers fanned out to plant tree seedlings.
  • The Green Legacy campaign has planted 40 billion seedlings since 2019 and aims for 7.5 billion by the end of 2025.
  • Experts warn that mixing exotic with native species and omitting survival rate reporting could weaken ecological benefits.
  • Ecologists question the feasibility of the one-day 700 million target, arguing it would require more participants than available.