But more than a symbolic act, the planting was part of the country’s wide-ranging commitment to sustainability. Bhutan is now carbon negative: it produces more renewable energy than it needs, but the kingdom also acts as a carbon sink.

A country previously known for its isolationist policies, Bhutan’s former king, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, sought a new path to development, not least with the Gross National Happiness (GNH) index.

GNH requires at least 60 per cent of land to be forested, allowing the country to absorb three times more carbon than it produces. Protected forests now cover over 72 per cent of the country.

Dr Saamdu Chetri, executive director of the Gross National Happiness Centre, believes the policy will grow more relevant as the country struggle with rapid modernisation and the direct threat of climate change. “After all, how can the future of a country be a prosperous one if you neglect to conserve your environment and take care of the wellbeing of your people?” he says.

 How can the future of a country be a prosperous one if you neglect to conserve your environment?

How has Bhutan been so successful? Officials believe that policy isn’t the only reason. Bhutan’s hydroelectricity, most of which is traded with India, is a crucial local industry. A spike in urban migration also plays a part – every year a sizeable chunk of the country’s population moves to capital Thimphu, leaving historically forested, rural areas largely untouched.

Bhutan’s 2015 tree-planting project saw nearly 50,000 trees planted in a single hour

But like many developing nations, these changes bring new challenges. Bhutan is concerned about how to continue such efforts in a country that is rapidly modernising. Climate change remains a particular concern.

Bhutan’s commitments at the UN climate talks in Paris stood out as the most ambitious; along with high rates of reforestation, it promised higher taxes for imported vehicles and continued education programs throughout the country’s primary schools. Continued international assistance was also called for (Bhutan relies heavily on the World Bank for investments in clean power projects).

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How many trees can be planted in 24 hours? One hundred? One thousand? An ambitious initiative in Ireland is hoping for much more than that, aiming to plant one million trees in one day as part of a drive to boost dwindling tree populations in the country.

As many as 10,000 volunteers in 32 counties across Ireland are taking part in a plant-athon between 12pm Friday 26 April and 12pm Saturday 27 April 2013, with nearly 2,000 landowners – from farmers to schools and colleges to community groups – signed up to the cause.

According to Irish National Forestry Foundation (INFF) executive director Cillian Lohan, the future benefits of the scheme will include cleaner air, cleaner soil and more efficient water absorption, which will help reduce instances of flooding.

“There is an opportunity here to plant a mix of species so that it replicates a natural woodland, the whole system would benefit local communities in terms of providing for their fuel energy needs, insects pollinating local crops, facilitating wildlife and a natural setting where people can be outdoors and enjoy,” he said.

From a single tree in a school playground to 100,000 saplings across vast tracts of land, every tree counts. Every planted tree will be logged on an interactive map network of locations, detailing its location, type and sponsor, if applicable.

“The whole idea is we to go out to communities, schools and particularly farmers who are looking after most of the land mass in Ireland and try to get trees planted according to the ethos of our organisation, which is to utilise the land in a sustainable way to satisfy community needs and create jobs,” Mr Lohan said.

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