Did you know that some of the Earth’s oldest trees are aged over 5,000 years? Living in harsh conditions in the South and North Americas, these trees have survived time, droughts, disasters and even mankind. For thousands of years, trees and forests have been the ‘lungs’ of our planet, ensuring humans can breathe, feel heat, eat and rest their souls.
Covering nearly 31% of the total land area, forests house 80% of the world’s biodiversity, encompassing over 60 thousand tree species but the fauna of the area is not the only living thing dependent on forests – more than 2 billion people also rely heavily on forest products.
Without forests, the future of humanity can scarcely be hardly imagined but people continue to destroy forests uncontrollably, leaving too little scope for the sustainable use of wood and land.
Why are forests important?
Forests bring invaluable environmental, economic, societal, and health benefits. They are the foundation of our culture, nutrition, shelter, oxygen, and wood supplies. In practice, forests can store about 861 Gt of carbon while isolating 15.6Gt of CO2 equivalents annually, thus assisting with the regulation of climate and generating oxygen.
World forest distribution, 2020 (in millions ha and % of the planet’s forests)
Source: FAO
The monetary value of forests is difficult to estimate with some assessments arriving at an astonishing figure of US$150 trillion which is more than the GDP of the 10 largest economies in the world, including the USA, China, Japan, Germany, and India.
For rural communities, products from woodlands and terrestrial ecosystems are a significant untapped source of income that helps to keep many individuals out of extreme poverty. Around 95% of people from outside metropolitan areas, or 4.17 billion people, reside within 1 to 5 km of a forest which is the main income source for most.
Deforestation and infectious diseases
Trees continue to be cut down and the trend is unsettling. For instance, data shows that 26 million hectares were destroyed in 2020 alone, with a total of roughly 420 million hectares over the last three decades.
Deforestation for farming, fossil fuel industries, and urbanization destroys habitats, bringing people and wildlife closer together and thus increasing the likelihood of outbreaks of infectious diseases such as dengue fever, malaria, SARS, Ebola and HIV, especially in tropical regions. However, it is possible that disease and forests have a longer-term connection with deforestation and other forms of land-use change being responsible for over 30% of new infections that have been identified since 1960.
See also: Seven alarming facts about deforestation and statistics by region
Despite the uncontrolled deforestation, there is still some good news.
The rate of deforestation has significantly decreased over the past few decades. The main reasons for this are simple – decreased deforestation in some nations and increased forest areas as a result of tree planting and natural forest growth in others. The biggest net increases in forestland from 2000 to 2020 were seen in Asia and Europe.
Source: Forests at the heart of sustainable development
Which is the biggest forest in the world?
There are 557 billion cubic meters of trees in the world’s forests and the Amazon is by far the biggest on our planet, covering 6.7 million sq. km. It extends over nine nations, including Brazil (around 60%), Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana and is home to more than 16,000 different species of trees.
See also: Preserving Amazon rainforest turns into thriving business in Brazil – a success story
Despite its importance, human activity and natural disasters pose serious dangers. According to estimates, the Amazon rainforest has already lost 20% of its original area, and a hectare is reportedly felled every minute.
Map of Amazon rainforest
The importance of forests for sustainable development
Forests support the economic sustainability of rural areas which, in turn, promotes the economic and social cohesiveness of rural communities as well as integrated territorial development. As already mentioned, a large part of the planet’s population relies on forests for income and employment opportunities.
Forests are essential for achieving sustainable development as they are necessary for maintaining a variety of ecosystem services, sustaining livelihoods, and fostering economic development. Here are a few ways forests support sustainable development:
1️⃣ Poverty eradication: Millions of people, especially in rural areas, rely on the income and employment opportunities provided by forests.
2️⃣ Preservation of biodiversity: A vast majority of the planet’s plant and animal species are found in forests. Conserving biodiversity is ensured by protecting forests.
3️⃣ Mitigation of climate change: Forests absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and store it in their biomass which helps to reduce the effects of climate change.
4️⃣ Water security: Forests are vital to preserving water quality, controlling erosion, and managing the water cycle.
5️⃣ Sustainable agriculture: By offering shade, controlling water flow, and preventing soil erosion, forests can assist sustainable agriculture activities.
6️⃣ Cultural and spiritual values: For many cultures around the world, forests hold great spiritual and cultural importance, and their preservation helps to protect cultural legacies.
7️⃣ Sustainable tourism: Forests can offer potential for this type of tourism, helping to support the local economy and preserve the environment.
Final word
Forests are vital to achieving sustainable development. They are the basis of our culture, food, home, and oxygen, and they have numerous positive effects on the climate, economies, society, and human health. At the same time, deforestation poses a serious threat to 30% of the world’s population whose survival depends on trees. Forest areas can be increased by planting trees and minimizing deforestation and, through forest maintenance, people can reduce poverty, protect biodiversity, and advance economic growth.
