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The year 2011 was declared theInternational Year of Forests by theUnited Nations[1] to raise awareness and strengthen thesustainable management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests for the benefit of current andfuture generations.
Forests are an integral part of globalsustainable development. According toWorld Bank estimates, more than 1.6 billion people depend on forests for their livelihoods with some 300 million living in them.[1] The forest product industry is a source of economic growth and employment, with global forest products traded internationally is estimated at $327 billion.
The UN'sFood and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that every year 130,000 km2 of the world's forests are lost due todeforestation. Conversion to agricultural land, unsustainable harvesting of timber, unsound land management practices, and creation of human settlements are the most common reasons for this loss of forested areas.
According to the World Bank, deforestation accounts for up to 20 percent of the globalgreenhouse gas emissions that contribute toglobal warming. FAO data estimates that the world's forests and forestsoil store more than one trillion tons of carbon – twice the amount found in the atmosphere. The World Bank estimates that forests providehabitats to about two-thirds of all species on earth, and that deforestation of closedtropicalrainforests could account forbiodiversity loss of as many as 100species a day.
According to theInternational Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Global Partnership on Forest Landscape Restoration, "Across the globe lie more than a billion hectares of lost and degraded forest land that could be restored".
The Secretariat of theUnited Nations Forum on Forests is the focal point for implementation of the International Year in collaboration with Governments, the Collaborative Partnership on Forests and other relevant organizations and processes.
Governments, regional and international organizations and civil society organizations are expected to create national committees and designate focal points in their respective countries to facilitate organization of activities in support of the International Year of Forests.
The "Celebrate Forests. Celebrate Life." campaign is the official U.S. celebration. Coordinated by theNational Association of State Foresters in partnership with theU.S. Forest Service, the U.S. celebration aims to elevate awareness and understanding of the value of America's forests and showcase the connections between healthy forests, people, ecosystems and economies. The goal is to provide all forestry stakeholders with ideas and resources to participate in the celebration over the year.
On 9 February 2011, deputy director-general ofFood and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations,Ann Tutwiler, and Assistant Director-General of the Forestry Department, Eduardo Rojas-Briales, launch the 2011 edition of the FAO flagship publicationState of the World’s Forests (SOFO). TheState of the World's Forests reports on the global status of forests, recent major policy and institutional developments and key issues concerning the forest sector.
On 9 March 2011, New Zealand'sMinister of Forestry, Hon David Carter, launched the International Year of Forests at Parliament Buildings in Wellington, New Zealand.[2] Hon Carter said, "They [forests] are an integral part of our natural resource-based economy, they provide a range of environmental benefits, and they have cultural significance".
On 5 May 2011, theRomanian Academy hosted a national debate regarding the "2011, the International Year of Forests".[3]
On 15 July 2011, in honor of International Year of Forests, theNew York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Division of Lands and Forests kicked off the Celebrating New York's Forests Photo Contest.[4] This contest is an effort to increase awareness of and appreciation for all types of forests, urban and rural, large and small, public and privately owned, across the state.
The UN General Assembly proclaimed 2011 as the "International Year of Forests" with Resolution 61/193 on 20 December 2006.[5]
