#IntlForestDay

[intlforestday]

Healthy forests, healthy planet, healthy humans.

Forests are often called the lungs of the planet, because they absorb harmful carbon dioxide and produce life-giving oxygen so it’s no exaggeration to equate healthy forests with healthy people, the theme of this year’s International Day of Forests.

Covering 31 per cent of Earth’s land and providing a home to 80 per cent of all land-based species, forests are crucial to human health and well-being, but their loss across the planet is threatening people everywhere.

Here are five things you need to know about the age-old and ever-growing interlinked relationship between forests and human health.

CityAdapt - Forests are key to building climate resilience.

1. Carbon sinks combat climate change

Forest ecosystems keep the planet healthy by regulating the climate, rainfall patterns, and watersheds and crucially provide the oxygen which is essential to human existence.

Healthy forests help to keep climate change in check by acting as “carbon sinks”, which annually absorb about two billion tonnes of carbon dioxide, the gas which is contributing to climate change and the increase of temperatures globally.

The rapidly changing climate is threatening the very existence of people in many different ways: through death and illness due to extreme weather events, the disruption of food systems, and the increase in diseases. Simply put, without healthy forests, people around the world, especially in the world’s most vulnerable countries, will struggle to lead healthy lives and maybe even to survive.

UN-REDD Forest products are processed into medicine in Viet Nam.

2. Nature’s pharmacies: from masks to medicine cabinets

From masks to medicines, forest products are used around the world every day. As many as 80 per cent of developing nations and one quarter of developed countries depend on plant-based medicinal drugs.

Forests contain about 50,000 plant species used for medicinal purposes by both local communities and multinational pharmaceutical companies. For millennia, forest dwellers have treated a range of ailments using products they have harvested. At the same time, many common pharmaceutical medicines are rooted in forest plants, including cancer-treating drugs from the Madagascar periwinkle and malaria medication, quinine, from cinchona trees.

The One Health approach, launched as part of the UN response to the COVID-19 pandemic, recognizes that the health of humans, animals, plants, and the wider environment, including forests, are closely linked and interdependent.

© FAO/ A woman carries goods through Uluguru Nature Forest Reserve in Morogoro, Tanzania.

3. Dinner for 1 billion people

Nearly one billion people globally depend on harvesting wild food such as herbs, fruits, nuts, meat, and insects for nutritious diets. In some remote tropical areas, the consumption of wild animals is estimated to cover between 60 and 80 per cent of daily protein needs.

A study from 43,000 households across 27 countries in Africa found that the dietary diversity of children exposed to forests was at least 25 per cent higher than those who were not.

In 22 countries in Asia and Africa, including both industrialized and developing countries, researchers found that indigenous communities use an average of 120 wild foods per community, and in India, an estimated 50 million households supplement their diets with fruits gathered from wildland forests and surrounding bushland.

UNDP Timor-Leste / Communities in Timor-Leste are helping to restore mangrove forests.

4. Forests are crucial for sustainable development

Forests provide goods and services, employment, and income to perhaps 2.5 billion people worldwide; that’s around one third of the global population.

Keeping forests – and humans – healthy is also at the heart of sustainable development and the 2030 Agenda. Woodlands play a key role in advancing progress across the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including:

SDG 3 Well-being: Woodlands feel good. Studies show that spending time in forests can boost immune systems while elevating positive emotions and lowering stress, blood pressure, depression, fatigue, anxiety, and tension. Human health and well-being depend on the natural environment, which provides such essential benefits as clean air, water, healthy soils, and food.

SDG 6 Water: Forests play a filtering role in providing freshwater. About 75 per cent of the world’s accessible freshwater comes from forested watersheds. By feeding rivers, forests supply drinking water for nearly half of the world’s largest cities. Threats to forests could trigger water shortages and put global freshwater resources at risk for people across the world, which are among urgent issues addressed at the forthcoming UN 2023 Water Conference.

SDG 13 Climate action: The woods buffer the impacts of storms and floods, protecting human health and safety during extreme weather events. For centuries, forests have acted as nature’s socio-economic safety nets in times of crisis. Sustainably managed and protected forests mean enhanced health and safety for all.

Deforestation continues despite international calls to protect forests.

5. Forests need protecting

The wide-ranging benefits of forests are well known, but that doesn’t mean they are offered the protection that they perhaps deserve. Fire, insect-damage and deforestation have accounted for up to 150 million hectares of forest loss in certain years over the last decade, that’s more than the landmass of a country like Chad or Peru. The production of agricultural commodities alone, including palm oil, beef, soy, timber, and pulp and paper, drives around 70 per cent of tropical deforestation.

Many governments have adopted forest-friendly policies, and others have increased investment in woodlands and trees. Local communities and actors are making their own strides, sometimes one tree at a time. The UN established the Decade for Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2023) and its agencies are harnessing partnerships with local to global stakeholders to better protect forests, from planting three million trees in Peru to empowering young women to work as community forest rangers to protect illegal fauna trafficking in Indonesia.

Established in 2008, UN-REDD is the flagship UN knowledge and advisory partnership on forests and climate, supporting 65 partner countries. Building on the expertise of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), UN Development Programme, and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the initiative has, among other things, seen member countries reduce forest emissions at levels equivalent to taking 150 million cars off the road for a year, ushering in a lot of more fresh air.

For guidance on creating an enabling environment in which people can benefit from all woodlands have to offer, FAO offers recommendations alongside a closer look at many key interlinkage between forest and human health in its report, Forests for human health and well-being

[brainboxschool]

🌲✨ Celebrate the International Day of Forests with us! 🌳✨

Today, we honor the magnificent forests that cover our planet, providing us with oxygen, biodiversity, and countless resources. 🌍 Let's raise awareness about their crucial role in sustaining life and combating climate change.

[monteage-official]

Embracing the beauty of our forests 🌲🌳 Let's unite to protect and preserve these vital ecosystems! Happy International Day of Forests!

[iimtcollege]

21st march 2024! Happy International Day of Forests! 🌿 . https://www.iimtindia.net/ Call Us: 9520886860 . #IIMTIndia #IIMTian #IIMTNoida #IIMTGreaterNoida #IIMTDelhiNCR #IIMTCollege #IntlForestDay #ProtectOurForests #NatureConservation #SustainableFuture 🌿🌲

[ilafoundation]

World Forestry Day to raise public awareness about the values, significance, and contributions of the forests to balance the life cycle on the earth.

[nonbinary-nature-lover-jeri]

What Would a Day Celebrating Forests Be Without The Redwoods! • This was Tweeted By @SaveTheRedwoods Here’s their tweet: “Happy #InternationalDayofForests! Redwood forests are true wonders of the world. Learn more about why we need to protect these treasures. bit.ly/2Oi8OQy #IntlForestDay #Redwoods #California #SaveTheRedwoods https://www.instagram.com/p/B9_FBrUAIYZ/?igshid=j5sza7zb7o1l

[realwomaninternational-blog]

A poem honoring dear spring! It's the time of rebirth, renewal, new beginnings. . . . . . #WorldPoetryDay #IntlForestDay #Poetry #PoetryforLife #spring #renewal #rebirth #newbeginnings #earthbeauty #hugatree #bekind #godislove #godisgood #love #loveyourneighbor #AAMilne @NikeAdeyemi (at Atlanta, Georgia) https://www.instagram.com/p/BvRkxxWHnwK/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=rzsaasg94fbt

[foh2010]

Journée internationale des forêts 2022 - Les forêts et la consommation et la production durables #milliontreeshaiti #nyfoh #InternationalDayOfForests, #DíaInternacionalDeLosBosques, #IntlForestDay #generationrestoration #trees #nature #journeeinternationaledesforets #lavisitenationalpark #forêt #forest https://www.instagram.com/p/CbYqDDELQqq/?utm_medium=tumblr

[intlforestday]

Highlight how forests sustain all aspects of our health.

This year’s International Day of Forests 2023 celebration in New York aims to highlight how forests sustain all aspects of our health, from cleaning our air and water to providing us with essential food, fuel, medicines and income.

Watch the event live on https://webtv.un.org/ on 21 March from 10 am, EST.

[luigiviazzo]

Foreste, giornata internazionale, International Day of Forests, un giorno speciale per ricordare che aiutano a mantenere in salute aria, suolo, acqua, persone, senza dimenticare che svolgono un ruolo vitale per far fronte ai cambiamenti climatici, eliminare la fame nel mondo, oltreché mantenere sostenibili le comunità urbane e rurali.

[wilsonnona2]

Let's protect forests to ensure the future sustainability of our planet's ecosystems, which can help us on next generation.

[icikenitra]

#رئة_المغرب غابة المعمورة تستغيث وتحتاج إليك 📢 أكثر من مليار شخص يعتمد عليها.. في #اليوم_العالمي_للغابات الأمم المتحدة تسلط الضوء على أهمية الأشجار والأدغال موضوع اليوم الدولي للغابات لعام 2021 هو ‘‘استعادة الغابات، سبيل للتعافي والرفاه’’. فإدارة استعادة الغابات وإدارتها إدارة مستدامة تساعد في معالجة أزمات تغير المناخ والتنوع البيولوجي. كما أنها تنتج سلعًا وخدمات للتنمية المستدامة، بما يعزز النشاط الاقتصادي الذي يتيح فرص العمل وتحسين المعايش. ويتناسب موضوع هذا العام مع عقد الأمم المتحدة لاستعادة النظام البيئي (2021 - 2030)، الذي يمثل دعوة لحماية النظم البيئية في جميع أنحاء العالم وإحيائها. وتؤكد الأمم المتحدة على أن استعادة الغابات والإدارة المستدامة لها هي مفتاح مكافحة تغير المناخ، والمساهمة في ازدهار الأجيال الحالية والمقبلة ورفاهها. وللغابات دور مهم كذلك في التخفيف من حدة الفقر وتحقيق أهداف التنمية المستدامة . ومن خلال هذه المناسبة العالمية تأكد جمعية أوكسجين للبيئة والصحة، على ضرورة التدخل عاجلا لجميع المؤسسات المغربية وجميع القوى الحية من أجل إنقاذ "رئة المغرب" غابة المعمورة، ضد التوسع الهمجي للمشاريع الإسمنتية ووقف كل أشكال التدمير والتدهور التي تمس حاضر ومستقبل غابة المعمورة. اليوم الدولي للغابات - 21 مارس International Day of Forests - 21 March Journée internationale des forêts Día Internacional de los Bosques 国际森林日 #حملة_أوكسجين * * * * * ناشطون، مواطنون، فاعلون، جمعيات، مؤسسات، وسائل إعلام، منظمات، جميعا: الكل معني .. الكل يشارك 🌍 #غابة_المعمورة_تستغيث ! #أنقذوا_غابة_المعمورة #غابة_المعمورة_في_خطر #أشجار_البلوط_الفليني #بيئة_القنيطرة_في_خطر #ماتقيش_بيئتي #بيئتنا_في_خطر‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ #المغرب #أوقفوا_تدمير_غابتنا #اتفاق_باريس_للمناخ ‬‬‬‬‬‬#Oxygene_Ass #IntlForestDay #GenerationRestoration #SDGs #Kenitra_SOS #Maâmora #Sustainable_development #SOS #PollutionInKenitra #Biodiversity #Oxygen_Planet #ForNature #Climate_Change #United_Nations #Paris_Agreement Association Oxygène pour l'Environnement et la Santé #Help جميعا من أجل إنقاذ رئة المغرب "غابة المعمورة" طالب بإنقاذ غابة المعمورة الآن من أجل مستقبلنا المشترك ! -------------- يمكنكم أن تشاركوا معنا وتبعثوا لنا اقتراحاتكم وأفكاركم عبر بريدنا الإلكتروني التالي: Oxygeneass@gmail.com أو عبر صفحاتنا على مواقع التواصل ► Subscribe YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/c/OxygeneAss?sub_confirmation=1 https://www.instagram.com/p/CMt_1orHKD7/?igshid=4pvbfpxss2gl

[the-magalie-fan]

Les forêts à l'honneur 🌳🌲 C'est la journée internationale des forêt qui s'ouvre aujourd'hui ! 🌍 Après « Les forêts et la Biodiversité » en 2020, le thème 2021 est « La restauration des forêts : une voie vers la reprise et le bien-être ». 🧘‍♀️🌱 Mais peu importe le thème, la protection, la préservation et la restauration des forêts sont nécessaires pour l'homme, la biodiversité, le climat... 🌲🌳#Forests #IntlForestDay #ecoschool #sustainability #nyfoh #forêt #milliontreeshaiti #haiti #unmilliondarbres #1mplv #nyfriendsofhaiti2010 #ecoecolehaiti #ecoecoledamitiesavanneentouree #savanneentoure #nature #environment #climatechange #lavisitenationalpark Pour en savoir plus 👉 http://milliontreeshaiti.org/ https://www.instagram.com/p/CMsiKo3jE1g/?igshid=170sen4ff7j1c

[nikolucky1]

🐎 🐴 _________________________ • • • • • #xanthi #greecestagram #greece_is_awesome #greece_countryside #greece #ig_greece #kasetophono #lifo #instalifo #animals #naturephotography #photography #hd #photographer #photo #horses #horse #autumn #autumnvibes #intlforestday (στην τοποθεσία Παναγία Αρχαγγελιωτησα Ξάνθη) https://www.instagram.com/p/B4kOjrEjj5t/?igshid=1ch5iwm700c6c

[mariluort]

21 de Marzo Día Internacional de los Bosques En 2012, la Asamblea General de las Naciones Unidas proclamó el 21 de marzo como Día Internacional de los Bosques. Mediante su celebración se rinde homenaje a la importancia de todos los tipos de bosques y se intenta generar conciencia al respecto. Cada vez que se celebra el Día Internacional de los Bosques, se alienta a los países a adoptar iniciativas en el plano local, nacional e internacional para la organización de actividades relacionadas con los bosques y los árboles, como, por ejemplo, campañas de plantación de árboles. El tema para 2020 es: Bosques y biodiversidad". . . . . . Fotografías 1-3 📷 Estación Experimental Caparo Barinas - Venezuela by Prof. de Dendrología Ing. Forestal Luis Enrique Gamez Universidad de Los Andes Fotografía 4 📷 Bosque de Pinos El Valle - Mérida - Venezuela by Maria Luisa Ortega Lopez Estudiante de Técnico Superior Universitario Forestal - ULA. . . . . #DíaInternacionaldelosBosques, #IntlForestDay #Venezuela #21DeMarzo (en Venezuela) https://www.instagram.com/p/B-A3-f9BKbi/?igshid=17posqliztx3c

[a-disaster-piece]

We are so lucky on the Garden Route, not just on #InternationalDayOfForests, but every day, to live among the gorgeous, lush, Knysna-Amatole Afromontane forest of the Tsitsikamma region! 🌳⛰️ Featuring mainly yellowwoods, Ironwood, Stinkwood, Assegai, & alders, these forests are not just beautiful places to visit, but they host much wildlife specifically adapted life among the trees (with quite a few species only found here!). They also serve larger ecological functions, such as catchment areas that filter water, & provide for element & climate cycles. Unfortunately, invasive species (like pine, blue gum/eucalyptus, & black wattle) & human development threaten these crucial habitats. #IntlForestDay #WorldForestDay #forest #trees #gardenroute #naturesvalley #tsitsikamma #ecology #conservation #scicomm #green #treehugger #naturephotography (at Nature's Valley, South Africa) https://www.instagram.com/p/B-ApGiGAfrh/?igshid=n7n2jgvao42d