International Day of Forests 2026

Discover why raising awareness of the vital role of forests and celebrating their benefits is key to tackling climate change.

This year, the annual International Day of Forests has the theme of ‘Forests and Economies’, which will explore the essential role of forests in driving economic prosperity. Whether it’s vital ecosystem services associated with water, climate and soils, or ecotourism, energy supply and raw materials, forests contribute trillions to the global economy and support millions of jobs worldwide.

Happening on March 21^st, the day’s activities will be coordinated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, which is running a series of online campaigns and encouraging local groups to organise or join events that celebrate forests, such as tree plantings, symposiums, art exhibitions and photo competitions.

One of the highlights of the event will be ‘Grown by Nature: A 360° online journey from trees to skyscrapers’, an online presentation from the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), which takes place on March 23^rd. “The ‘Grown by Nature’ event invites you on a 360-degree journey through the UNECE region’s forests, the world’s most sophisticated, low-carbon treasures,” states the UNECE website. “This event moves beyond traditional timber to showcase the ‘wood-based revolution,’ where forests are transformed into the skylines of our cities, the fibres of fast and high-end fashion, and the biodegradable solutions replacing single-use plastics.”

A Vital Role

As a key part of the global ecosystem, it’s easy to take forests for granted. But the role they have in the lives of billions of people cannot be understated. Forest landscapes reduce the cost of producing clean water and, by storing carbon and moderating temperatures, help protect economies from climate-related disasters. Forests are also the economic backbone of many rural communities by supplying foods, medicines, fuel and income, as well as benefits such as cooling effects, clean water and soil stabilisation.

While the global demand for wood is at an all-time high – around 4 billion cubic metres of wood are currently produced every year, with demand projected to rise as the population grows – up to 5.8 billion people worldwide use non-wood forest products such as foods, medicines and resins to support their livelihoods and wellbeing.

Deforestation Threats

However, like many other ecosystems, the threats to forests are increasing every day. According to the UN, deforestation contributes as much as 21% of the total greenhouse gas emissions attributed to the agriculture, forestry and other land use sector. This not only undermines climate resilience efforts but threatens the livelihoods of local communities.

As well as deforestation due to the production of palm oil, beef and soy, wildfires are increasingly common, with more than 134,000 square kilometres of forest burnt to the ground by the end of 2024 – an area greater than England. Research from the World Resources Institute (WRI) shows that fires now destroy more than twice as much tree cover as they did two decades ago, with four of the five worst years on record occurring since 2020.

“When these forests burn, they release carbon that has been locked away in trees and soil for hundreds of years, accelerating climate change and setting the stage for more fire,” explained James MacCarthy, Wildfire Research Manager at the WRI. “Smoke from these fires can travel thousands of miles, polluting the air for millions of people, while nearby communities face evacuations, health risks and mounting costs.”

Get Involved

There’s little doubt that the health of our forests is a key indicator of the health of our planet. The loss of our forests will result in catastrophic disasters all over the world and set the globe on an even quicker path to climate destruction.

So take a look at the International Day of Forests website, use their resources and get involved with the international efforts to halt the destruction of forests.

For more information about the 2026 International Day of Forests, go to fao.org/international-day-of-forests

To register for the UNECE ‘Grown by Nature’ webinar, go to unece.org/info/Forests/events/410905