International Day of Forests 2023
International Day of Forests 2023
Written by: Lee-Anne Fellowes
Senior Environmental Consultant at Shangoni Management Services.
The UN General Assembly (“UNGA”) proclaimed 21 March as the International Day of Forests in 2011.
The theme for 21 March 2023 is “Forests and Health”.
Forest sustainable management and their use of resources are key to combating climate change, and to contributing to the prosperity and well-being of current and future generations.
Forests also play a crucial role in poverty alleviation and in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (“SDGs”). Yet despite all these priceless ecological, economic, social and health benefits, forests are endangered by fires, pests, droughts, and unprecedented deforestation.
Every year, about 18 million hectares of forest – an area the size of England and Wales – is cleared (World Resources Institute).
WHY INTERNATIONAL DAY OF FORESTS IS IMPORTANT
- Forests are the lungs of the Earth
Forests are like giant, green sponges all over the globe, through which our Earth breathes. Trees and plants take in carbon dioxide and give us oxygen, cleaning our air.
- The world needs wood
And not just for construction, paper, furniture, etc. As the world’s population grows, with it the hunger for energy. Currently wood accounts for approximately 45 % of the world’s renewable energy supply. Encouraging and modernizing this industry can help find new and sustainable ways to produce bioenergy.
- Healthy forests mean a healthy environment
Forests trap carbon to prevent global warming. They stabilise the climate, control atmospheric temperatures, protect watershed areas, regulate the water cycle, and enrich the soil. And that’s not all that forests do for our environment!
Celebrate International Day of Forests by planting a tree in your garden or go hiking in a forest.
