The International Day of Forests

Mruda Bhatt, Year 5 Primary Head Girl

What is the International Day of Forests?

The International Day of Forests was established on March 21st, by resolution of the United Nations General Assembly on November 28, 2012. Since then, each year, various events celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests, and trees outside forests, for the benefit of current and future generations.

Trees produce the vast majority of the oxygen we need to survive, they provide us with much needed shade on hot days, and of course, they’re beautiful. For all of those reasons and many more, protecting the trees on our planet should be a real priority for all of us. With millions of hectares of forests being chopped down every year, we still have a long way to go, but we are making progress, and the International Day of Forest is proof of that. Forests also play a critical role in climate change. Deforestation results in 12-18 percent of the world’s carbon emissions and accelerated global warming. Trees help to prevent soil erosion, floods, and regulate rainfall. Trees are also a source of food, wood, timber, food, fodder, etc. Forests are vital to life on Earth. They purify the air we breathe, filter the water we drink, prevent erosion, and act as an important buffer against climate change.

What can we do to protect forests?

• Conserve trees and forests in your area. • Plant trees—the more the better! • Support forest conservation organizations. • Learn about forests, both local and global. • Demand better labelling of products so you know if they are certified and sustainable. • Follow the three Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) • Spread awareness