International Day of Forests

Enviado por:

November 12, 2026

The UN General Assembly declared the International Day of Forests was to be held on the 21^st of March every year since 2012. The day celebrates and raises awareness of the importance of forests. Countries are encouraged to undertake local, national, and international efforts to organise activities involving forests and woodlands to celebrate the day.

The theme for 2025 is ‘Food and Forests’. This celebrates the crucial role of forests, food security, livelihood, and nutrition. Not only do they provide food, forests also provide fuel, income, employment for many, offer habitats for biodiversity, protect water resources and support soil fertility. They are essential for the survival of forest-dependent communities and contribute to climate change mitigation by storing carbon.

Did you know that…

Over 2 billion people rely on wood and other fuels for cooking! Having been used since ancient times, Woodfuel is still commonly used by rural households as a source of cooking energy.
Forests are crucial for agriculture. They support farming by providing homes for pollinators, helping to keep the soil healthy, retaining water, offering food and shade for livestock, regulating temperatures, and acting as natural barriers against the wind for crops.
Forests support rural incomes, boosting livelihoods and nutrition. In some countries and regions, forests provide around 20% of the income for rural households. This enables access to nutrition and diverse diets, particularly for the poorest households.
Forests serve as food safety nets in times of crisis. They support food, and security and diversify incomes during shocks, such as failed harvests or conflicts. They help to ensure the survival of communities when the usual food sources are unavailable. [1]

Paper Loves Trees

There are several industries that rely on forests for their income and produce. The paper industry depends on and promotes sustainable forest management to provide a reliable supply of wood fibre, the key raw material for its products. Well-managed forests bring multiple benefits for society, such as livelihoods, ecosystem services and biodiversity.

According to the most recent figures from the Forest and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nation (FAO), between 2005 and 2020, European forests grew by more than 58,390 km² – an area bigger than Switzerland – this amounts to 1,500 football pitches of forest growth every day! The area of forest in Europe has increased by 9% over the last 30 years.

How Can You Celebrate The Day?

Wondering how can you mark the day yourself? Whether you are looking to celebrate with work, school or just for yourself, here are a few things that can help get in the community spirit of International Day of Forests:

Enter the Forest and Foods photo contest. Once you have a photo or video, you can then share this on social media!
You can share the forest fact animation, logo, and banners. You can find the International Day of Forest social media pack for more resources.
Join in the conversation on social media using the #ForestDay hashtag.
Organise events or join one in your local area celebrating forests such as tree plantings, symposiums, art exhibitions or photo competitions.
If you attend an event, don’t forget to tell us @TwoSidesUK about it by tagging us on socials!

You can find out more interesting forestry facts here.