March 21st is observed as the International Day of Forests. In 1971, the 16th session of the Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) gave their vote to “World Forestry Day." Then the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) held six Forest Days from 2007 to 2012. Finally, the date was fixed, on November 28, 2012, by a resolution of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). And it was first observed on March 21, 2013.
A plant takes several years to grow, yet we took 41 years to fix a date to remind ourselves of the importance of nature, knowing well that it takes as little as a few minutes to destroy years worth of nature's growth. We know too well how much we are dependent directly and indirectly on forests for shelter, fuel, food, supplies for everything little to huge. Though we are benefitting from it, we are damaging forests in a massive way. Think about it, that every minute, we are destroying 60-foot ball playground size forests.
Our greed seems to have taken over. For how long will play dumb and turn a blind eye? For how long will we shove away the moral and ethical responsibility we have by not utilizing god's gift properly? For how long will we continue to kill our forests?
We are not the owners of the forests, we are but simple borrowers of nature's supplies, and we must be responsible and cough up reparations for the forests, starting now. Let this day be a reminder to all of us to build a plan for sustenance.
Every act as every individual matters. I have planted one on my balcony, how about you?
The above stamp issued by India in 2009 depicts the "Silent Valley" National Park in Kerala, India. A unique preserve of tropical rain forests, it is closed on all sides with high and continuous ridges and steep slopes.
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