Over 31m trees planted in 2025 under tree for life initiative – Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah

The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has announced that Ghana exceeded its national reforestation target in 2025, with over 31 million trees planted under the Tree for Life Initiative.

Speaking at the launch of the 2026 Tree for Life Reforestation Initiative on Friday, June 5, Armah-Kofi Buah said the figure surpassed the original target of 30 million trees, marking what he described as a significant national achievement in Ghana’s reforestation drive.

He explained that the success was made possible through broad national participation, including government institutions, traditional authorities, schools, religious bodies, civil society organisations, development partners, communities, and the private sector.

According to him, the collective effort demonstrates what can be achieved when stakeholders unite around a shared environmental goal.

“I am pleased to announce, as has already been stated, that in the 2025 edition of the Tree for Life Initiative, we planted over 31 million trees, even though the target was 30 million across the country, through the collective efforts of all of us”, he said.

For the 2026 edition of the initiative, the Lands Minister said greater attention will be placed on post-planting care, monitoring, and maintenance to ensure higher survival rates of planted trees.

He stressed that the focus of the programme must now shift beyond planting figures to the survival and long-term growth of the trees.

He urged all participating institutions, schools, communities, and individuals to take ownership of the trees they plant by watering them, protecting them from fire and destruction, and regularly monitoring their growth.

“For this reason, the 2026 edition of the Tree for Life Reforestation Initiative will place strong emphasis on post-planting care, monitoring and maintenance” he added.

The initiative, anchored by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, forms part of Ghana’s broader efforts to restore degraded landscapes and strengthen environmental conservation under the Tree for Life Initiative.