The United Nations posted an article in March 2021, when the global pandemic was really in its heat. Forest Restoration: A Path to Recovery and Well-Being, written by Mette L. Wilke, talks on the importance of having Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’S) when it comes to forestry and forest restoration. Forests provide the world with numerous benefits; without them we’d be doomed. Fresh air, clean water, nutritious foods–we are deliberately destroying these natural resources for what, people?! Forests are helping us mitigate climate change and they provide jobs such as wood-based energy and agroforestry farming systems. I was devastated to read that every year our world is losing approximately ten hectares of forestation. Wilke also highlights the effect that COVID-19 has had on forestation. I was enlightened by the fact that many previous epidemics originated from animals and wildlife –and, major land use changes, such as deforestation, is one of the leading causes of almost a third of these infectious diseases! The United Nations Forest Management systems are doing the most to obtain the SDG’S they have by reestablishing habitats, and they are collaborating with other organizations, such as the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR 100). The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has already restored up to 63000 hectares of forest! Yahoo!!! Forest restoration is one of the fundamental building blocks to achieving a better future. Empowering those around us is a HUGE step towards change. And remember, from the wise words of Wilke, “healthy forests mean healthy people.”
https://www.un.org/en/un-chronicle/forest-restoration-path-recovery-and-well-being-0
Applied Plant Ecology Winter 2020 