2016 International Day of Forests Celebrates Forest Keys to Fresh Water

Summary: On March 21, the 2016 International Day of Forests celebrates forest keys to fresh water as the United Nations' fourth annual forest awareness event.

"The World's Forest," figure 1, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA) 2010 Map: CC BY 3.0 Intergovernmental Organization, via FAO Forestry

On Monday, March 21, the United Nations headquarters in New York City, New York, observes the 2016 International Day of Forests as the intergovernmental organization’s fourth annual forest awareness event and specifically celebrates forest keys to Earth’s supply of fresh water.

“Forests are the planet’s water towers, providing 75% of the fresh water that is used in our homes, farms, and industries,” Manoel Sobral-Filho, director of the UN Forum on Forests Secretariat, notes on the United Nations Forum on Forests’ outreach web page on the 2016 International Day of Forests.

The United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) Secretariat and UN-Water are collaborating with the Government of Sweden in organizing Monday’s schedule of special events. Monday's joint celebration of March 21st's International Day of Forests and March 22nd’s World Water Day emphasizes 2016’s theme of forests and water. Entitled “Forests and Water Sustain Life and Livelihoods,” the event runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. United Nations Web TV provides a live webcast at http://webtv.un.org/. The United Nations’ official Twitter account, @UN, also updates the event’s global audience, including 6.84 million Twitter followers, with live tweets of the 2016 International Day of Forests celebration.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization raises awareness of forest keys to fresh water via an informative, 10-question quiz, “How much do you know about forests and water?,” on the agency’s dedicated webpage for 21 March International Day of Forests. Compellingly intertwined forest and water facts emerge in the quiz’s answers.

Forests are responsible for supplying renewable fresh water to 76 percent of the world’s population. A large oak tree contributes to the water cycle by transpiring 151,000 liters (159,559.9 quarts) annually. Plant evapotranspiration accounts for, on average, 40 percent of global land rainfall and, specifically, more than 70 percent of the Río de la Plata river basin’s rainfall over northern Argentina, central and southern Brazil, southeastern Bolivia, Paraguay and most of Uruguay.

More than one-third of the world’s biggest cities, including Madrid in Europe, Bogota in South America, New York in North America and Tokyo in Asia, rely on protected forests for a significant proportion of their drinking water. The estimated total population for these forest water-reliant biggest cities amounts to 238 million people. Approximately 764 million people in the world depend upon woodfuel for boiling and cleaning their water.

Preservation of the essential interrelationship between forests and fresh water impacts the world’s populations as an imperative necessity.

“As the global population grows and demands for water escalate, safeguarding the water-providing capacity of forests is becoming more urgent. By 2025, nearly 1.8 billion people will live in areas with absolute water scarcity, and two thirds of the world population could face water-stressed conditions,” states UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in his message for the 2016 International Day of Forests, published March 18 in a United Nations press release.

On Dec. 21, 2012, the 61st plenary session of the United Nations General Assembly established an annual International Day of Forests. The General Assembly adopted agenda item 20 as Resolution 67/200.

“Noting that the States members of the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, at the sixteenth session of the Conference of the Organization, held from 6 to 25 November 1971, supported the establishment of World Forestry Day on 21 March of each year,

“1. Decides to proclaim 21 March of each year the International Day of Forests, to be observed starting in 2013, in order to celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests and of trees outside forests,” states the Resolution.

The Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF) selects the theme for each International Day of Forests. The UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) established the Collaborative Partnership on Forests in April 2001 as an informal, voluntary arrangement of 14 international, substantially forest-programmed organizations and secretariats.

“On this International Day of Forests, I call on Governments, businesses, civil society and other partners to adopt holistic policies and practices to protect, restore and sustain healthy forests for our common future,” urges UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in his press released message.

Monday, March 21, 2016, the United Nations is jointly celebrating March 21st's International Day of Forests and March 22nd’s World Water Day: United Nations @UN, via Twitter March 21, 2016

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

"The World's Forest," figure 1, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA) 2010 Map: CC BY 3.0 Intergovernmental Organization, via FAO Forestry @ http://www.fao.org/forestry/fra/62219/en/;
(new URL @ https://www.fao.org/forest-resources-assessment/past-assessments/fra-2010/maps-and-figures/en/)

Monday, March 21, 2016, the United Nations is jointly celebrating March 21st's International Day of Forests and March 22nd’s World Water Day: United Nations @UN, via Twitter March 21, 2016, @ https://twitter.com/UN/status/711833000120418304

For further information:

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. “FAO Forestry Department video message on the International Day of Forests 2016.” YouTube. March 18, 2016.
Available @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5tzuHqMId8

“IDF 2016 UN Secretary-General’s Message.” United Nations Forum on Forests.
Available @ http://www.un.org/esa/forests/news/2016/03/idf-secretary-general-press-release/index.html

“International Day of Forests 2016.” United Nations Forum on Forests.
Available @ http://www.un.org/esa/forests/outreach/international-day-of-forests/2016-celebration/index.html

“Resolution adopted by the General Assembly. 67/200. International Day of Forests.” FAO Forestry. Feb. 14, 2013.
Available @ http://www.fao.org/forestry/35970-02022d20f3c3e226276b36d32b2bc811a.pdf

“Secretary-General Warns Two Thirds of Global Population Could Face Water-Stressed Conditions within Next Decade, in Message for International Forests Day.” United Nations Press Release. March 18, 2016.
Available @ http://www.un.org/press/en/2016/sgsm17610.doc.htm

United Nations ‏@UN. "Investing in forests is an insurance policy for the planet." Twitter. March 21, 2016.
Available @ https://twitter.com/UN/status/711833000120418304

“United Nations, Observing First International Day of Forests, Celebrates Their Vital, Life-Sustaining Role.” March 20, 2013.
Available @ http://www.un.org/press/en/2013/envdev1341.doc.htm