International Day of Forest 2019

Forests are part of your life in more ways than you realize

When we drink a glass of water, write in a notebook, take medicine for a fever or build a house, we do not always make the connection with forests. And yet, these and many other aspects of our lives are linked to forests in one way or another. Forests, their sustainable management and use of resources, including in fragile ecosystems, are key to combating climate change, and to contributing to the prosperity and well-being of current and future generations. Forests also play a crucial role in poverty alleviation and in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In recognition of these important interlinkages between forests and education, the central theme of the 2019 International Day of Forests is “Forests and education.” The International Day of Forests is observed annually on 21 March, provides a global platform to raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests and trees.

Forests and Education – Learn to Love Forests

Every 21 March the United Nations raises awareness of the importance of all types of forests. This year the International Day of Forests promotes education to Learn to Love Forests. It underscores the importance of education at all levels in achieving sustainable forest management and biodiversity conservation. Healthy forests mean healthy, resilient communities and prosperous economies.

Key messages:

• Understanding our forests and keeping them healthy is crucial for our future. Forests will be more important than ever as the world population climbs to 8.5 billion by 2030.

• You’re never too young to start learning about trees. Helping children connect with nature creates future generations conscious of the benefits of trees and forests and the need to manage them sustainably.

• Both modern and traditional knowledge are key to keeping forests healthy. While foresters should know and understand nature well, they should also learn to use cutting-edge technology to ensure that our forests are monitored and managed sustainably.

• Investing in forestry education can change the world for the better. Countries can help ensure there are scientists, policy makers, foresters and local communities working to halt deforestation and restore degraded landscapes.

• Women and men should have equal access to forest education. Gender parity in forest education empowers rural women to sustainably manage forests.

The International Day of Forests was established by the UN General Assembly in 2012. Activities held around the world range from scientific conferences and workshops, to art exhibits, tree-planting and community-level events. The theme of the International Day reflects the multi-faceted values of forests, highlighting how forests enrich our daily lives and support global sustainability.

Activities:

Share Experience and Taking into Action in Loving Forest in China

China aims high in afforestation

China's forestry authority has initiated an annual national campaign to encourage Chinese to go out in Spring to plant more trees and turn the country green.

A special banner has been placed on the front page of the website of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, displaying the slogan "Where to go in spring? Plant trees and make China green."

On Tuesday, China's 40th Arbor Day, the administration and the National Greening Commission also sent messages to mobile phone users, encouraging them to plant more trees.

A day earlier, the first commemorative stamp in honor of Arbor Day was released in Beijing to mark the 40th Arbor Day.

The stamp, with a face value of 1.2 yuan, bears the image of a pair of hands which resemble the branches of a tree. Above that tree, a beautiful scenery features green leaves, a stream of water, mountains, birds and houses.

Liu Dongsheng, deputy director of the administration who attended the release ceremony, said Arbor Day had become an important occasion to arouse public awareness of green development.

According to a statement issued by the administration, China plans to add 6.73 million hectares of afforested areas in 2019 to further expand forest coverage.

The forest coverage rate of China has increased nearly 10 percentage points since the late 1970s, with the world's largest area of planted forests and an 80-percent expansion of forest areas, said Zhang Jianlong, director of the administration.

In 2018 alone, China planted 7.07 million hectares of new forests and treated more than 6.66 million hectares of degraded grasslands, according to a communique on China's afforestation conditions released Tuesday.

Participants from all walks of life took part in various voluntary tree planting activities last year, including ministers, generals, and leaders and cadres at all levels, the communique said.

Many government departments also took part in environmental efforts. In 2018, China's transport sector spent 8.79 billion yuan (about $1.3 billion) on highway greening, afforesting 79,000 km of highway, while housing and urban-rural development departments constructed green passages, with per capita urban green park areas reaching 14 square meters, it said.

Chinese people have also been keen to participate in a virtual tree planting project in the mobile payment app Alipay. The project rewards low-carbon acts such as renting a bike or taking the bus with "energy" to "water" virtual trees, and the organizers will plant a real tree in deserts in China when a virtual tree grows up.

A study using data from NASA satellites confirmed China's efforts on afforestation.

Data shows that China and India are leading the increase in land greening and concludes that the "effect comes mostly from ambitious tree-planting programs in China and intensive agriculture in both countries."

In line with NASA's data, the greening rate of many Chinese cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Nanchang and Shenzhen saw an increase instead of a drop amid rapid urbanization, according to an ongoing study of the Chinese Academy of Forestry.

Beijing has launched large-scale afforestation projects over the past few years, leading to an increase of 10 percentage points in forestry coverage in plains in just four years, the study showed.

Besides land greening efforts, afforestation projects in Beijing also took into consideration forest quality and animals' needs by choosing plant and tree species with long life-spans or those that can provide food for wild animals.

"In the past, we only considered the needs of human beings. Now, we stress more on biodiversity," Deng Naiping, head of the Beijing Municipal Forestry and Parks Bureau, was quoted by Beijing Daily as saying.

Deng said animals and human beings can share green space thanks to scientific tree species choices, which will contribute to harmonious coexistence between man and nature in the long term.

Under a long-term afforestation plan, China expects to increase its forest coverage rate to 23.04 percent by 2020, and to 26 percent by 2035, as part of the plan to build a Beautiful China.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201903/12/WS5c87bd58a3106c65c34ee3be_1.html

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