International Day of Forests, the Disguise of Mother Nature

Dr. N. Munal Meitei
Environmentalist working as DFO/Chandel,
email- nmunall@yahoo.in

Every day forests provide benefits vital to the quality of human life. International Day of Forests is celebrated on 21st of March since 2012 to increase the public awareness about the values, significance and contributions of forests for existence of life on the earth. Forest is forest and once it was forest, it will always be a forest.

Forest is the lungs of the Earth. Forests are so crucial to the future and the planet. Forests are one of our greatest natural treasures that we must thrive and preserve for survival of all living beings. This year’s theme is “Forests and Food.” The theme indicates the crucial roles of forests in food security, nutrition and livelihoods. In addition to provide food, fuel, income and employment, forests support soil fertility, protect water resources and offer habitats for biodiversity, including vital pollinators.

This day is also a wake-up call for global leaders to take action against climate change. Almost all aspects of our life are related to forests. When we drink a glass of water, write in a notebook, take a medicine or build a house, we do not remember the interconnection with forests but in many aspects, they are unbreakably linked to forests. Healthy forests mean healthy, resilient and prosperous live.

Forests cover one third of the Earth’s land mass and perform vital functions around the world giving the resources like food, water, fuel, medicines, fodder, essential oils, resins, latex, gums, fiber and woods. Almost 1 in 5 of world population – including more than 2000 indigenous cultures – depend on forests for their livelihood. Forests are the most biologically- diverse ecosystems. As forests are home to over 80% of terrestrial biodiversity; including 80% of amphibians, 75% of birds and 68% of mammals. Forests provide habitats for planet’s most iconic species like the tiger, lion, sangai, rhinos, giant panda, gorilla and orangutan.

Forests provide shelter, jobs and security for forest- dependent communities who themselves protect the forests. Forests play a key role in our battle of adapting to and mitigating climate change. Forests contribute to balance the oxygen, CO₂, humidity and water cycle. Forests protect watersheds, which supply 75% of freshwater worldwide. Thus, forests provide priceless ecological, economic, social and health services.

Forests are source of flora and fauna on the planet. Forests are complex living community of the trees, animals and wide range of living organisms including verities of invertivores beneath the soil, playing a significant role in balancing the ecology. Data shows that forest loss worldwide is equivalent to an area of 11 football fields per minute which is amounting to 42 million trees per day.

Forests are the natural beauty on the earth which need to conserve for an ecological balance. Deforestation accounts for 16 to 20% of the global greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming. Forests can mitigate climate change. By capturing and storing carbon, forests remove significant volumes of CO₂ from the atmosphere. A tree will continue to store carbon after it has been harvested and used for hundreds of years. That is why it is so important to use wood-based products.

Forests also influence nature’s capacity to cope with natural hazards, acting as barriers against heavy rains, flooding, strong winds, soil erosion and landslides. Forests have always been crucial to human life and economies foe centuries and they will become increasingly significant as the global human population grows by another 30% – to 9 billion people – by mid-century. At the same time, our forests will face numerous threats. As we move forward, our forests must play a crucial role in supporting the growth of a global green economy.

Sustainable forests management and their resources is the only way to deal with climate change and preserve the future for future generations. Innovative solutions, to ensure sustainable forest management is the need of the hour. Such policies outline, the forests will be the key part of green economy in the modern market, both for the public and private sectors in long-term solutions.

At the local level, forests benefit us with timber, medicines, fuelwood and ecotourism industry. At the regional level, forests provide ecosystem services such as water regulation, soil stability, flood mitigation and air quality. And at the global level, forests make an important contribution to economic development, biodiversity conservation and climate regulation including gene pools and pharmaceuticals products.

Forest absorbed 28% of all CO₂ released from industries next to ocean. Globally the overall carbon storage of forests constitutes 54% of the 2,200 gigatons of the total carbon pool in terrestrial ecosystems. Forests act as massive water pumps through water transpiration. Loss of forest cover linked to environmental tipping points such as drought, insect epidemics and increased natural disasters. Forests help to produce clean water in rivers and streams by reducing sediment loss from catchments.

Non-timber forest products play an important role in the livelihoods of 5.8 billion people worldwide. The forest sector employs more than 10 million people and sustainable forests can meet the future employment for many more communities.

Forests suffer from multiple market failures for the benefits that they produce and the costs of their destruction in the visible economic terms. The current economic system usually fails to recognize the value of the existing natural forest capital with its potential to provide continuing services and cash flows. Integrating forests into a green economy will require innovative policies and market solutions that are presently not recognized.

Human health is inextricably linked to forest health. When we take away the forest, it is not just the trees that go. The entire ecosystem begins to fall apart, with dire consequences for all of us. Meanwhile, time spent in forests like Shinrin-yoku has been shown to have a positive benefit on conditions including cardiovascular disease, respiratory concerns, stress, diabetes and mental health.

Therefore, to protect forests, the green gold, let’s plant more trees – cut your living costs but not trees, eat sustainable food, use the recycled and biodegradable products. To save forest is to save the mother Earth and for the future generation.