World Forestry Day: Emphasizing the need to conserve, protect and expand forests

March 21 was proclaimed as the International Day of Forests to celebrate and raise awareness for all types of forests. On this day, countries around the world are encouraged to indulge in local, national, and international activities that promote plantation campaigns. When you come to think of it, it’s our frivolous approach towards the environment that prompted the need to establish a day that redefines forests as a treasure of inestimable value. From the food we eat to the clothes we wear, forests provide us with a plethora of resources that are crucial for the survival and sustenance of mankind. However, the unmatched importance of forests only comes to the fore when we’re trying to make sense of natural disasters or unforeseen illnesses. 

The recent inferno that engulfed Odisha’s Similipal Wildlife Sanctuary posed a grave threat to its wildlife population which includes tigers, leopards, bears and elephants, and a large number of vascular and medicinal plants. Experts estimated that the area went up in flames because of the combined effect of dry weather and human interference.

This incident was yet another eye-opener to make us realize that such disasters significantly hamper biodiversity, which in turn disturbs the ecological balance of the region. It is important to understand that environmental mishaps that pose a threat to the natural habitats of wildlife significantly increase the chances of man-animal conflict as animals are more likely to venture into villages or settlements when their homes have been disturbed. 

The need to conserve, protect and expand forests is emphasized time and again to save us from the onslaught of similar disasters in the future. In light of the current environmental condition and the need to rehabilitate our ecosystem, this year’s theme for World Forestry Day was decided to be-’Forest Restoration: A Path to Recovery and Well-being’. 

Contributing to the restoration of forests has a much bigger impact than we can imagine; when we opt for sustainable lifestyle choices and plant trees actively, we’re not only creating a better and healthier environment for ourselves but also for future generations. 

Grow-Trees.com was established to bridge the gap between man and the environment. We offer individuals and corporations the opportunity to celebrate important occasions while doing social good. The concept of ‘Greet with Trees®’ allows you to plant a tree for your family, friends, or employees in projects initiated in rural parts of the country. In this way, you are not only contributing to the restoration of the environment but also creating livelihood opportunities for rural communities who can extract benefits from these trees even in the future. 

Our strong ties with forest departments and village communities have enabled us to plant over 7 million trees across 23 Indian states and generate approximately 600,000+ days of employment for rural communities. The mature trees have also helped with the sequestration of 150 million kg of atmospheric carbon. 

We believe that planting trees and making mindful choices is the only way to reverse the heart-rending condition of our environment. A quick or impulsive decision is not the solution; we need to indulge in a sustained enhancement of our planet’s health by encouraging and promoting large-scale plantation activities. By doing this, we will not only preserve our precious biodiversity and mitigate climate change but also improve the lives of rural and tribal communities by creating jobs. We need to understand that we can improve the quality of food, air, water, and health if we work together towards restoring our forests.

Together, we can create blissful spaces for plants and animals to thrive so that future generations can also witness the untainted beauty of our environment.

The author is the CEO of Grow-Trees.com

(Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own and do not reflect those of DNA.)