Truphena Muthoni surpasses target with 1,234 tree hugs in one hour
By William Muthama, May 9, 2026Environmental enthusiast Truphena Muthoni has announced she has surpassed her target after recording 1,234 tree hugs within one hour during a symbolic environmental challenge held at Jardim Botânico Garden in Brazil, in an attempt aimed at breaking a Guinness World Record.
According to a Facebook post shared on Saturday, May 8, 2025, Muthoni had set a target of 1,172 trees but went beyond the mark, describing the exercise as a campaign focused on conservation, unity, and humanity’s connection with nature.
‘Target was 1172. We reached 1234. After decades, Afro-Indigenous Brazil and the African diaspora meet again! An old friendship remembered. A living connection restored!!!”Muthoni wrote.
The timed activity involved hugging each tree briefly as she moved through the garden, with the final count exceeding her initial goal.
Ahead of the challenge, she had explained that it would involve briefly hugging 1,172 trees within sixty minutes, with each embrace lasting only a few seconds, while carrying a larger message about environmental protection and humanity’s relationship with forests.
Message of unity
Muthoni further stated that the initiative goes beyond attempting a record, noting that it is intended to remind people about the importance of caring for nature and protecting ecosystems that sustain life.
The environmental advocate also described the activity as a remembrance of humanity’s connection to the earth and to one another, saying the message behind the campaign is rooted in love, resilience, ancestry, and collective responsibility toward the environment.
“Because every tree holds life, every branch gives us breath, and every moment we choose to care is a step toward protecting the world we all depend on. This isn’t just about a record, it’s about reminding ourselves that nature gives us everything, and it’s time we give something back,” she added.
This ambitious project follows her prior success, including a 72-hour tree-hugging record, which was officially confirmed by Guinness World Records as the holder of the record for the longest marathon tree-hug, after completing an uninterrupted 72-hour embrace of a single tree.
Muthoni also holds a Guinness World Record for hugging a tree for 48 hours, ratified on December 12, 2025, following her first successful attempt earlier in the year at Michuki Park, Nairobi.