On 13 October 2011, the United Nations Postal Administration will issue three mini-sheets of eight stamps to commemorate the International Year of Forests.

Designated by the United Nations General Assembly, 2011 is the International Year of Forests. During this Year, everyone from Governments and the United Nations system, to major groups and other forest-related organizations are coming together to raise awareness on strengthening the sustainable management, conservation and development of all types of forests for the benefit of current and future generations. 

United Nations Secretary-General BAN Ki-moon said, “By declaring 2011 as the International Year of Forests, the United Nations General Assembly has created an important platform to educate the global community about the great value of forests – and the extreme social, economic and environmental costs of losing them”.

The global observance of the Year comes at a time when there has been a much wider recognition of the role that sustainably managed forests play in everything from mitigating climate change to providing wood, medicines and livelihoods for people around the world.

The world’s forests cover one third of the Earth’s land surface. Forests help to maintain the fertility of agricultural land, protect water sources and reduce the risks of natural disasters. They provide subsistence and income to about 350 million people who live within or near forests. Close to 1.6 billion people depend to some extent on forests for their livelihood.

Millions of hectares of forests are lost every year due to deforestation and forest degradation which impacts watersheds and habitats and also accounts for up to 20 per cent of the global greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming.

The main theme for the International Year of Forests 2011 is “Forests for People”. It highlights the dynamic relationship between forests and the people who depend on them. Every one of us is connected to forests. Forests contribute to the balance of oxygen, carbon dioxide and humidity in the air. Over 40 per cent of the world’s oxygen is produced from rainforests. A tree releases 8 to 10 times more moisture into the atmosphere than the equivalent area of the ocean. Forests protect watersheds which supply fresh water to rivers – a critical source of the water we drink and use in our daily lives.

Healthy forests sustain healthy people. Tropical forests provide a vast array of medicinal plants used in healing and health care. More than a quarter of modern medicines originate from tropical forest plants. Forests curb transmission of infectious diseases. Undisturbed tropical forests can have a moderating effect on the spread of insect- and animal-borne diseases.

The International Year of Forests 2011 offers a unique opportunity to raise public awareness of the challenges facing many of the world’s forests and the people who depend on them. 

published August 8th, 2011