THE United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed Thursday, March 21, 2013, the International Day of Forests and trees. The Day will be observed to raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests. As of 2013, the day will be observed each year to highlight the importance of forests and trees to all life on earth. On each International Day of Forests, people take time to consider the benefits of forests to the community – such as catchment protection, providing habitat for plants, areas for recreation, education and scientific study, and as a source of many products, including timber and honey.
In Guyana, a public exhibition at the Umana Yana from 09:00hrs to 17:00hrs tomorrow will be hosted by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment’s Guyana Forestry Commission. The exhibition will display posters, exhibits, videos about the different facets of forestry in Guyana and worldwide. There will be a special ceremony at 09:00hrs tomorrow at the Umana Yana, Kingston, to which the public and interested groups are invited.
World Forestry Day, as it is sometimes called, has been celebrated around the world for 30 years to remind communities of the importance of forests and the many benefits which we gain from them. All stakeholders are encouraged to participate in efforts to organise activities involving forests and trees to provide opportunities for people to learn how forests can be managed and used sustainably.