Maldives Surpasses Two Million Tree Milestone in Nationwide Reforestation Effort

The Maldives has surpassed a significant environmental milestone, with over two million trees now planted under the government's ambitious Five Million Tree Programme. According to the latest data from the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy, exactly 2,040,866 trees have been planted to date, marking a substantial step toward the nation's ecological restoration goals. Launched as the largest tree-planting initiative in the country's history, the programme aims to restore disappearing indigenous species and increase greenery across the archipelago. While the initiative is titled the 'Five Million Tree Programme,' the actual target has expanded to 5,859,394 trees, with various private and state entities committing to a total of 6.4 million saplings. The effort is being driven by a coalition of state-owned companies and private institutions. Rosewood has emerged as the leading contributor, planting 1,478,244 trees, which represents 25.2% of the current total. This is followed by the Housing Development Corporation (HDC), Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL), and the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC), with HDC, MACL, and MTCC each contributing approximately 17.1% of the total planting efforts. Other significant contributors include SDM Farm, which has planted 750,000 trees (12.8%), and STELCO, which has added 500,000 trees (8.5%) to the landscape. To sustain this momentum and accelerate implementation, the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy is decentralizing the planting process. The government has provided grants to 10 islands to establish local nurseries, ensuring a steady supply of native saplings. Additionally, a specialized "Green Nursery" is currently under development in Hulhumalé to support the programme's long-term scalability. With 3,818,528 trees still required to meet the primary target, the initiative continues to serve as a critical pillar of the Maldives' strategy to combat climate change and preserve its fragile island ecosystems.