Algeria launches unprecedented one-million-tree planting campaign

ALGIERS, Algeria (MNTV) — Algeria has kicked off a large-scale reforestation campaign aiming to plant more than one million trees across the country in a single day, as part of its broader push to fight climate change and rehabilitate vegetation cover.

The campaign, organized over the weekend, follows the selection of tree species tailored to regional climates to ensure healthy growth and long-term sustainability.  

According to the Director-General of Forests, Djamel Touahria, the initiative surpassed expectations by planting approximately 1.39 million trees in one day. 

The initiative comes in the wake of devastating vegetation-fires in northern Algeria, which destroyed nearly 140,000 hectares between 2021 and 2023. Authorities said the campaign will contribute to restoring burnt areas and reducing desertification risks.  

Trees planted include olives, pistachios, carobs and other species chosen based on regional geographic features and soil conditions. Civil society and volunteers across provinces joined the effort, with some planting sites requiring expanded land due to high turnout.  

Officials stressed that while the one-day figure captures headlines, the true measure of success will hinge on post-planting care including watering and maintenance to ensure sapling survival. Touahria noted that the reforestation drive will continue through March 2026 as part of the roadmap to rehabilitate degraded land.  

The campaign also aligns with Algeria’s longstanding “Green Dam” and broader ecological rehabilitation efforts that seek to integrate the forestry sector with climate adaptation and sustainable land-use policy.