Forest Service celebrates UN International Day of Forests
WASHINGTON, DC—March 21 is the United Nations International Day of Forests. This year’s theme, forests and sustainable production and consumption, covers the many ways forests and forests products are integral to our daily lives. The Forest Service will honor the day, now in its 10th year, with our domestic and international partners.
This year, the agency is teaming with USAID Kenya to showcase our work with community groups in the Rift Valley. The Forest Service has been proud to support local conservation plans by mapping forest boundaries and pinpointing areas of degradation or threat. The conservation plans allow community groups to earn a living on forest land by maintaining tree plantations and conducting ecotourism activities, while maintaining the health of important watersheds. Read the story here.
U.N. festivities include virtual events from Expo 2020, Dubai and the U.N. headquarters in New York. John Parrotta, Forest Service Research and Development national program leader and president of the International Union of Forest Research Organizations, will speak about the role of forests and the global science community in ensuring a sustainable future.
Brian Brashaw, assistant director for the Wood Innovations Program under State and Private Forestry, will speak about mass timber and the importance of green cities. Two youth leaders, Madison Hand of the Bdewakantuwan Dakota, Oglala Lakota and the Prairie Island Indian Community and Chaske Henry of the Oglala Lakota and Red Lake Ojibwe, will discuss the Lower Phalen Creek Project at Wakán tipi, a Dakota sacred site nestled between the Wakpá Taŋka, the Mississippi River and the East Side of Saint Paul, Minnesota.
The U.N. created international days in the aftermath of World War II with the first United Nations Day in 1948. Over the decades, the U.N. General Assembly has designated various days to promote causes that require international cooperation and attention. They are often powerful advocacy tools to educate the public on issues, mobilize political will and resources and celebrate humanity’s achievements. The U.N. designated International Day of Forests in 2012. The day is supported by all U.N. member countries.