International Day of Forests 2021

LET’S CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF FORESTS 2021

The UN General Assembly proclaimed 21 March as the International Day of Forests in 2012. The Day celebrates and raises awareness of the importance of all types of forests.

On each International Day of Forests, countries are encouraged to undertake local, national and international efforts to organize activities involving forests and trees, such as tree planting campaigns. The theme for each International Day of Forests is chosen by the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF).

Forests are quietly working in the background, secretly cleaning our water, filtering our air and protecting us from climate change. They are guardian angels for more than a billion people, providing food, medicine and fuel to those who might not have access to these resources from anywhere else. They house more than three-quarters of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity and are homes to many of the world’s poorest people.

The theme for 2021 is "Forest restoration: a path to recovery and well-being"

In Trinidad and Tobago, the mission of the Forestry Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries is to sustainably manage the nation’s forests to ensure that they are abundant, ecologically healthy, biologically diverse, and contribute to the wellbeing of all people and to the national economy for current and future generations.

We are continually losing out forests to slash and burn agriculture, deforestation, land degradation via mining and human development. Between 1987 and 2018, a total of 276,758.027 acres (112,473 hectares) were burnt, all in fires started by man.

Bush fire in Maraval Hills (2018)

The Forestry Division continues to:

Produce forest seedlings to re-afforest degraded sites nationwide.

Educate communities on all forestry issues including sustainable agro forestry. Their efforts can be observed at the St. Michael Hillside Demonstration Station, which is open to site visits as part of their education program.

Encourage the 2 100 plus registered private farmers to plant forest trees on unoccupied lands.

Encourage, educate and support organizations interacting with the forests, such as hunters, hikers, and conservationists, in their efforts to sustain our forests.

Oversee forestry management in agricultural practices, which involves the planting of forest trees amongst cocoa and coffee plantations in Gran Couva Estate, Northern Range and the Hillside Demonstration Stations at Caura Valley and Maracas St, Joseph.

Primary school students learning about forest fire prevention and bio-diversity protection techniques

Fondes Amandes Community Reforestation Project

Plant a tree.

Do your part to protect our natural resources and use it wisely and sustainably.

References

7 secrets that forests have been keeping from you. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/fao-stories/article/en/c/1144016/

Forestry in Trinidad and Tobago and Climate Change. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.news.gov.tt/content/forestry-trinidad-and-tobago-and-climate-change#.YE9q8qdKjcu

Harrinanan, S., Marcelle, A., & Moore, S. (2018, February 02). Dry season is here. Retrieved from https://newsday.co.tt/2018/02/01/dry-season-is-here/

International Day of Forests. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.un.org/en/observances/forests-and-trees-day

Loutoo, J., Kamara, Z., & Superville, S. (2019, July 30). Protecting our natural environment. Retrieved from https://newsday.co.tt/2019/06/10/protecting-our-natural-environment/

Rabano, M. G. (n.d.). GOVPH. Retrieved from https://forestry.denr.gov.ph/index.php/international-day-of-forests-2021