56-Year-Old Tree Planter Attempts 24,000 Trees in 24 Hours

At 56 years old, Kenny Chaplin is attempting something most people couldn't do in their twenties: planting 24,000 trees in 24 hours.

The Saskatchewan tree planter first held the Guinness World Record in 2001 when he planted 15,170 trees in 17 hours. But in 2021, another competitive tree planter broke his record with 23,060 trees, and now Chaplin wants his title back.

The attempt started June 30 at 8 a.m. in a field near Buena Vista, Saskatchewan. Chaplin has to maintain an incredible pace of one tree every 3.6 seconds while hunched over in a squat position, working through the day and night until 8 a.m. on July 1.

"I've felt it before and I want that feeling back," Chaplin said before starting. "That feeling you're in the fire."

After nearly 40 years in the business, Chaplin estimates he's planted over three million trees. He says the physical demands are intense, but two months of full-time planting have prepared him perfectly.

"You've never been in physical shape like you are at the end of tree planting season," he explained. "I'm feeling like I'm in my late 20s."

For perspective, the average tree planter manages between 2,000 to 5,000 trees per working day. Chaplin's twin brother Curt is helping him by keeping his bags filled with seedlings throughout the attempt.

The Ripple Effect

This record attempt is creating more than just headlines. Local resident Lincoln Dobson donated the field where Chaplin is planting, and the community has rallied with sponsors donating trees while others offered equipment and fuel.

The field is already used by residents walking their dogs and enjoying the outdoors. Once these 24,000 trees grow into a forest, it will create new paths and green space for the community to enjoy for generations.

Chaplin recently visited the forest that grew from his first record-breaking attempt two decades ago. "This is not about Kenny. This is actually about a forest," he said. "The sign and the plaque will fade in time and go away. But the trees, they will be here for my daughter's kids to walk through."

The timing holds special meaning for Chaplin. His older sister Jean introduced him to tree planting when he was a teenager and passed away around this time in 2015.

"I just feel that Jean will be on my shoulder," he said, fighting back tears.

Whether or not Chaplin breaks the record, Dobson says the community has already won. "I think he is just letting it all hang out one more time."