Forests play a vital role in maintaining a healthy planet

Forests cover nearly 1/3 of land globally, that’s 4.06 billion hectares, providing habitat for 80% of the world’s biodiversity

New Delhi: Today the world is celebrating the “International Day of Forests” to raise the awareness about the vital role of forests for a clean, green and pollution-free environment to the future generation.

As we often called forests as the “lungs of the Earth” forests played a vital role in absorbing carbon dioxide and providing habitat for 80% of the world’s biodiversity.

On each International Day of Forests, countries are encouraged to undertake local, national and international efforts to organize activities involving forests and trees, such as tree planting campaigns.

In 2025, “Forests and Foods” is the theme for the day, celebrating the crucial roles of forests in food security, nutrition and livelihoods.

In addition to providing food, fuel, income and employment, forests support soil fertility, protect water resources, and offer habitats for biodiversity, including vital pollinators.

They are essential for the survival of forest-dependent communities, particularly Indigenous Peoples, and contribute to climate change mitigation by storing carbon.

More than five billion people around the world use forest and non-timber forest products for food, medicine and livelihoods.

Forests and trees are a rich source of nuts, fruits, seeds, roots, tubers, leaves, mushrooms, honey, wild meat and insects, providing essential nutrients to people’s dietary intake.

Due to their vital role in maintaining a healthy planet, it’s crucial to protect and preserve forests from deforestation and other threats.

International Day of Forest was established on March 21, 1971, by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. The day is celebrated annually on March 21st to raise awareness about the importance of forests and trees.

Forest Facts:-

Forests cover nearly 1/3 of land globally, that’s 4.06 billion hectares, providing habitat for 80% of the world’s biodiversity. In other words, there is around 0.52 ha of forest for every person on the planet.

More than half (54 percent) of the world’s forests are in only five countries –the Russian Federation, Brazil, Canada, the United States of America and China

Forests produce about 28% of the world’s oxygen, making them essential for human life.

Forests absorb about 2.4 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, helping to mitigate climate change.

Benefits of Forests:-

Forests provide livelihoods for over 1.6 billion people, including indigenous communities, farmers, and forest workers.

Forests help protect watersheds, preventing soil erosion and maintaining water quality.

Forests are home to many medicinal plants, providing essential medicines for millions of people.

Protecting and restoring our forests is urgent and necessary: the well-being of the planet and future generations depends on them

Challenges Facing Forests:-

Forests are being cleared at an alarming rate, with an estimated 13 million hectares of forest lost each year.

Climate change is altering forest ecosystems, making them more vulnerable to fires, pests, and diseases.

Forests are being over-exploited for timber, fuelwood, and other forest products, threatening their sustainability.

We lose 10 million hectares annually due to deforestation and approximately 70 million hectares affected by fires.

India’s forest cover:-

India’s total Forest and tree cover stands at 8,27,357sq km, which is 25.17 percent of the geographical area of the country.

As per the report “India State of Forest Report 2023 The Forest Cover has an area of about 7,15,343sq km (21.76%) whereas the Tree Cover has an area of 1,12,014 sq km (3.41%)”.

As compared to assessment of 2021, there is an increase of 1445 sq km in the forest and tree cover of the country, which includes 156 sq km increase in the forest cover and 1289 sq km increase in tree cover, the report said.

The top four states showing maximum increase in forest and tree cover are Chhattisgarh (684 sq km) followed by Uttar Pradesh (559 sq km), Odisha (559 sq km) and Rajasthan (394 sq km).

The top three states showing maximum increase in forest cover are Mizoram (242 sq km) followed by Gujarat (180 sq km) and Odisha (152 sq km).

Area wise top three states having the largest forest and tree cover are Madhya Pradesh (85,724 sq km) followed by Arunachal Pradesh (67,083 sq km) and Maharashtra (65,383 sq km).