International Day of Forests

International Day of Forests - Friday, March 21, 2025

Environmental Awareness Educational

Roosevelt called them “the lungs of the Earth,” Robert Frost and millions of poets were inspired by them, and Sting is fighting to save them. We’re talking about forests. And celebrities aren’t the only ones who feel a strong connection with them. We all do. Just a simple walk in the woods can calm and invigorate our senses. In fact, the forests are so crucial to the future of our planet that the UN declared March 21 to be the International Day of Forests. For many years now, this amazing global celebration has been creating awareness all over the world about the importance of forests. They are one of our greatest natural treasures that we must preserve and protect.

Trees—they produce the vast majority of the oxygen we need to survive, they provide us with much-needed shade on hot days, and they’re just plain beautiful. For all of those reasons and many more, protecting the trees on our planet should be a real priority for all of us and thankfully, recently, it has. Of course, 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 Forests is proof of that.

History of 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. The state of our forests is important to us all here on earth for many reasons – 80% of all terrestrial biodiversity lives in forests, and each year many species go extinct as a result of them being destroyed. Of course, 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. Forests also provide food, fiber, water and and even medicines for approximately 1.6 billion of the world’s population, especially the poorest people.

How to celebrate International Days of Forests

There are a few great ways to celebrate this day. You could plant some trees—and we don’t even mean taking on some sort enormous commitment that requires you to quit your job and dedicate your life to planting thousands of trees. Even one or two in your backyard would be enough! There must be a fruit you love, so why not plant a fruit tree or two? There’s nothing quite like fruit that’s just been freshly picked off a tree to make you feel what summer is all about. Not to mention the 100% pesticide and herbicide-free juices and jams you could make and enjoy for months afterwards! Another way to celebrate International Day of Forests would be to go hiking in a forest nearby, or even going for a nice, relaxing walk there.

Trees are something we sometimes take for granted, so going out for the purpose of appreciating their beauty and the beauty of nature in general while also enjoying some fresh air would definitely be beneficial. If you’re not feeling quite so active, you can take some time on this day to think about what you can do to help prevent so many trees from being cut down—rent books from the library instead of buying, recycle used paper, and, of course, and of course teach your children to do the same! There’s nothing quite like raising awareness about an issue to get it solved quicker, especially when it comes to people who are the future of humanity.

This International Day of Forests, make sure you make a difference. As with cutting down trees—one doesn’t seem to matter, but millions of hectares definitely do—so with us earthlings—if we all cared just a little bit, the planet would be a better place.

International Day of Forests timeline

2013

The First International Day Of Forests

The world celebrates this important celebration dedicated to our Earth for the first time!

November 28, 2012

UN Designates March 21

The UN passes a resolution to observe March 21 as the International Day of Forests.

November 1971

World Forestry Day established

At the 16th session of the Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization, the "States members" voted to establish "World Forestry Day" on March 21 of each year.

How to Observe International Day of Forests

  1. Plant a tree or start a victory garden

    Go ahead! Do your bit to make your city a little greener. Even buying a little plant for your home counts!

  2. Go hiking in the woods or a state park

    There isn’t a better time to get out, bond with nature and drive away those winter blues because spring has just begun.

  3. Make a leaf scrapbook

    A great activity for the entire family. Scrapbooking and recording interesting facts is a great way to teach children about the different type of trees and their importance.

Why International Day of Forests is Important

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. Healthy forests mean a healthy environment

    Forests trap carbon to prevent global warming. They stabilize 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!

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