International Day of Forests is celebrated worldwide every year on the 21st of March in order to increase public awareness among communities about the values, significance and contributions of forests to balance the life cycle on the earth.
Franklin D. Roosevelt called them “the Lungs of the Earth,” Robert Frost and other poets were inspired by them, and Sting is fighting to save forests.
The theme for the celebration of International Day of Forests 2021 is “Forest Restoration: a path to recovery and well-being.” It highlights the valuable benefits of forest restoration in terms of human health, food security, environmental and climatic condition, provision of green jobs, stakeholder engagement, and healing.
The key messages for this year’s theme are the following:
- Healthy forests mean healthy people
- Forest food provides healthy diets
- Restoring forests will improve the environment
- Sustainable forests can create green jobs
- It is possible to restore degraded lands at a huge scale
- Every tree counts
- Engaging and empowering people to sustainably use forests is a key step towards positive change
- Recovering from planetary, health and economic crisis
Forests cover around a third of all land on Earth. They are indeed the planet’s ‘lungs’, taking in carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. By means of photosynthesis, trees store the carbon and give back oxygen.
Natural forests provide the vital infrastructure for some of the planet’s most diverse collections of life, along with 60 million people.
By absorbing carbon dioxide and heat, natural forests help to cool the planet. When intact, trees can influence rainfall patterns and reduce flood peaks, as well as helping to refill ground water stores.
Their roots bind the soil and reduce erosion, while removing harmful pollutants from it. They are also a source of remedies, products and livelihoods.
Forest Day Quotes
“What we are doing to the forests of the world is but a mirror reflection of what we are doing to ourselves and to one another”. (Mahatma Gandhi)
“A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people”. (Franklin D. Roosevelt)
“The forest is a peculiar organism of unlimited kindness and benevolence that makes no demands for its sustenance and extends generously the products of its life activity; it affords protection to all beings, offering shade even to the axe-man who destroys it.” (Gautama Buddha)
The true meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shadow you do not expect to sit.
Sustainable management of all types of forests is at the heart of addressing challenges of conflict-affected, developing, and developed countries, for the benefit of current and future generations. In short, natural forests are essential to life.
International Day of Forests - 21 March 2021 (708.4 KB)
