Jakarta. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo kick-started a plant-a-thon in Tuban, East Java, on Monday (28/11), which set a Guinness World Record with more than 238,000 trees planted in an hour.

More than 5,500 people, including first lady Iriana Widodo, Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya, East Java Governor Soekarwo, students, farmers and various government officials, took part in the record attempt.

The president said natural conservation, such as tree planting, gives hope to future generations.

"If we don't take care of the earth and carelessly cut down trees, floods will come, troubling the people," Jokowi said.

He explained that the recent flooding in Bandung and Garut in West Java was caused by changes in land use upstream – from forests to agricultural, residential, mining and industrial areas.

"It's our duty to care for [the forests] and preserve them," he said.

Referring to Indonesia's ratification of the Paris Agreement, Minister Siti said the event showed the country's seriousness in mitigating climate change.