International Day of Forests

International days are occasions to educate the general public on issues of concern. International Day of Forests is celebrated on 21 March to highlight the importance of Forests in the fight against climate change and to warn of the danger of their degradation. This write up is aimed at raising public awareness of the importance of forests.

International Day of Forests

The Blue Planet Earth is our habitat and the beauty of habitat is the nature. Our forests, rivers, oceans and soils provide us with the food we eat, the air we breathe, the water we irrigate our crops with. We also rely on them for numerous other goods and services we depend on for our health, happiness and prosperity. These natural assets are often called the world's 'natural capital'.

The forest is our main resource on land that shapes and forms our nature. Forests provide natural resources, such as food, fiber, and fuel, that support people's health and livelihoods. They also filter our air, regulate water cycles, and help mitigate the hazardous effects of climate change through carbon sequestration.

International days are occasions to educate the general public on issues of concern, to mobilize political will and resources to address global problems, and to celebrate and reinforce achievements of humanity. International Forest Day is celebrated on 21 March, a global initiative to highlight the importance of these ecosystems in the fight against climate change and to warn of the danger of their degradation.

“The linkage between forests and foods goes back to our ancestors who tested all the fruits and vegetables from the forests and documented their safety for our consumption” said FAO Director-General QU Dongyu. This year's theme “forests and foods”, draws attention to the crucial role forests play in food security, nutrition and livelihoods: More than five billion people around the world use forest and non-timber forest products for food, medicine and livelihoods.

Forests are vital ecosystems that provide numerous benefits, including oxygen production, carbon storage, habitat for diverse species, and protection against erosion and floods, making them essential for a healthy planet and human well-being. Beyond their critical role in carbon storage, forests serve as vital shields against extreme weather conditions, such as storms and floods. They are essential in supplying drinking water to nearly half of the world's largest cities, highlighting their significance in our daily lives.

The word forest broadly describes an area that has a large number of trees. There are three general types of forest that exist: temperate, tropical, and boreal. Experts estimate that these forests cover approximately one-third of Earth's surface. The largest forest in the world is the Amazon Rainforest, spanning approximately 5.5 million square kilometers, and it's home to one in ten known wildlife species.

Pakistan has 4.2 million ha of forest and planted trees, which equates to 4.8 percent of the total land area. Forty percent of the forest area comprises coniferous and scrub forest in the northern hills and mountains. Pakistan is an agricultural country and about 60% of the population is associated with agro economy. The forests of Pakistan are a main source of lumber, paper, fuelwood, latex, medicine as well as human and animal food. Other minor products include resin (a fluid in tissue of Chir pine plant that becomes solid on exposure to the air) and 'mazri' (used for making baskets).

The largest man-made forest in Pakistan, and one of the oldest hand-planted forests in the world, is Changa Manga, located approximately 80 kilometers southwest of Lahore and there is a Chichawatni Plantation in Sahiwal District and third one is Khipro Reserve Forest in Sanghar District. Moreover, the Riverain or Bela Forests covering 175702.03 acres occur in varied sized patches along different rivers of the Punjab. The original vegetation consists mostly of Obhan, Kikar and Frash etc.

Exposure to forests boosts our immune system. While we breathe in the fresh air, we breathe in phytoncides, airborne chemicals that plants give off to protect themselves from insects. Phytoncides have antibacterial and antifungal qualities which help plants fight disease. Spending time in forests reduces the stress hormone, cortisol, which makes us feel calm and relaxed. This also lessens the prospect of experiencing high blood pressure, skin conditions and problems with the heart.

In a healthy forest, grasses mingle with shrubs and trees to create a habitat that supports a diversity of plants and animals. Because parasites and disease tend to target single species, a forest with a wide variety of trees is more resilient than one with a lot of only one kind of tree. Humans have converted forest to agricultural and urban uses, exploited species, fragmented wildlands, changed the demographic structure of forests, altered habitat, degraded the environment with atmospheric and soil pollutants, introduced exotic pests and competitors, and domesticated favored species.