By Leslie Lee
March 21 is International Day of Forests, established by the UN General Assembly in 2012, meant to raise awareness about the vital importance of forests and trees. This year’s theme, “Forests and Economies,” highlights the crucial role forests play in driving sustainable economic growth, supporting billions of livelihoods, and promoting a bioeconomy that replaces carbon-intensive materials with sustainable wood-based products. Key focus areas for 2026 include economic value, sustainable development, and livelihoods and food.
Forests cover 30% of Earth’s surface and are essential resources that combat climate change by storing carbon, protecting water, and supporting soil fertility. They are home to over 80% of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity, including millions of species. Forests provide food, livelihoods, income, and employment for many and contribute significantly to health, with 25% of pharmaceutical medicines derived from rainforest plants. The day promotes sustainable management and conservation, focusing on the connection between forests and innovations in food, biodiversity, and health.
Forests are considered the lungs of the planet. Trees purify the air by reducing CO2 and help regulate the climate. They are essential for sustaining life on Earth and play an important role in combating climate change. However, the threat of deforestation and degradation threatens the survival of forests worldwide. In order to raise awareness of their importance, this is a day that invites us to reflect on the importance of forests and to commit ourselves to their preservation and care.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that forests cover one third of the Earth and are one of nature’s great providers of essential functions for the preservation of the planet and life:
- They slow climate change: trees store carbon, which helps mitigate the impacts of climate change. It is estimated that the world’s forests contain 662 billion tons of carbon, making up more than half of the world’s carbon stocks found in soils and vegetation. They are also a natural air conditioner, lowering air temperatures by 2 to 8 degrees.
- They form a noise barrier: large forest stands dampen the sound waves of noise from roads, industries, or urban centers.
- They are a source of water: forest ecosystems protect and provide 85% of the freshwater for the world’s major cities.
- They provide energy: when managed sustainably, wood fuels represent a potentially renewable and carbon-neutral energy source. FAO estimates that approximately 2.6 billion people rely on wood and other traditional fuels for household cooking.
Forests are also economic infrastructure — but they remain critically underfinanced. Forests sustain livelihoods, jobs and local economies worldwide. They underpin livelihoods, reduce poverty, strengthen food systems, and deserve greater investment in their protection. More than 1.6 billion people depend on forests for subsistence, income, or employment, yet forest investment remains far below what is needed to unlock their full economic potential. The forest sector provides around 13 million formal jobs, with 40–50 million additional jobs in informal and small-scale forest enterprises. In many low-income countries, forests contribute a higher share of GDP than in high-income economies, reflecting their importance for inclusive growth. Global investment in forests was about US $84 billion in 2023, though it’s estimated that annual investment needs must more than triple by 2030 to meet climate, biodiversity and development goals.
Douglas Land Conservancy contributes to the success of our local forests through permanently protecting open spaces, preserving water quality, storing carbon in healthy soils and vegetation and ensuring our Front Range forests continue to thrive.