When we restore our natural landscapes, we restore ourselves. On March 21, the global community commemorates the link between nature and human health for International Day of Forests. The Forest Service joins the celebration this year by showcasing expertise in landscape-level forest restoration, as well as highlighting the benefits that come from small-scale restoration projects such as urban gardens.

In South America, International Programs and its partner, ProÁrbol, created a community garden program in 2019 at Centro de Protección del Adulto Mayor Sede Mayales, an assisted living home for seniors in the city of Valledupar, Colombia. Three years ago, the area around the Sede Mayales facility was bare, but now the wellness gardens are thriving with native flowering plants, vegetables and joy. Eugenio Mateus, 80, has lived at Sede Mayales for five years and takes pride in his garden and the responsibility. “We have been in charge of caring for and growing various species to the benefit of our well-being. The gardens give us life and health."

At home, urban gardens are also a passion for the students at J.S. Morton High School District 201 in Cicero, Illinois. These young Forest Service partners, supported by teacher Kevin O’Toole, successfully designed, planted and monitored a monarch butterfly habitat at the Morton Freshman Center on their industrial school grounds. The garden program began in 2018, and the restored garden is now featured by the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in a permanent exhibit, instilling the importance of biodiversity and migratory species in the United States and Mexico. According to one student, “We walked into class and became a part of something that was bigger than just our gardens.”

Due to the program’s success, J.S. Morton’s students represented global youth at the U.N.’s International Day of Forests March 19 virtual event. U.N. officials and delegates around the globe watched their video message as part of the celebration streamed on U.N. Web TV.

Small-scale restoration efforts improve resiliency and well-being of local communities, but around the world these small pockets of restoration have a global impact. In the U.S. alone, urban and community forests produce $18.3 billion in value nationally by removing air pollution, reducing energy use, sequestering carbon and avoiding emissions.

Forest Service International Programs wants to hear how agency units commemorated this year’s International Day of Forests. No project is too small. Contact Aysha Ghadiali to share your story!