International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB), 22 May 2011
More than 5,000 commercial pruducts of our everyday life, such as fuel, herbal medicines, food, furniture and clothing, are provided by forests. Forests prevent soil erosion and help to regulate the climate; they provide clean water; forests are the most biodiverse land-based-ecosystem and their biological resources can produce precious social, cultural and economic benefits. They are indispensable for humankind.
But now they are facing the grievous threat of deforestation, climate change, commercial hunting and invasive alien species (IAS), that is non-indigenous species, plants and animals, that damage the bioregions they invade.
The United Nations proclaimed 22 May as the International Day for Biological Diversity to promote a greater discernment and awareness of biodiversity issues. 2011 is the International Year of Forests (Forests 2011), this is why this year’s International Day for Biological Diversity focuses on forest biodiversity.
In this special year, the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) are working together to stress the importance of forest biodiversity to humankind.
The theme is “Forests for People”, to highlight and celebrate the crucial role of people in the management, conservation and sustainable development of the World’s forests.
Read more…
International Day for Biological Diversity 22 May 2011 – Forest Biodiversity
Convention on Biological Diversity web site
It should reach in each corner of the world and to be pierced in to the human hearts and spark the importance of the forests and biodiversity for the existence of human as well as other life in earth.
I am sure that May 22 can be a very important day to help people understand the vital treasure that forests are.
If you want to share events/articles and anything about forests and agrobiodiversity please let us know, we would love it!
Forest For People(FFP) is truly a great theme and I strongly feel it has come at the right time;as Forests can not speak out on their own to say’ Look you people if you continue over exploiting us at this alarming rate,of course you are endangering our existence on planet earth,but worse you are endangering the existence of other living things humankind inclusive from planet earth to which you are part of.’ therefore it naturally calls for individuals/ organizations to voice out on behalf of forests and indeed on behalf of entire humankind.My desire is that every nation at regional and local level take this 22nd May seriously and strongly deliver messages on the value of forests resources/materials and sustainable ways of conserving and utilizing forest resources for the benefit of the current and future generations
Thank you for this beautiful comment.
I invite you to join the group “International day for Biological Diversity – Forest Bioversity” in the groups section of PAR, if you haven’t done so yet. You need to register if you’re not a member of PAR and log in…
Thanks for this! Very teilmy for me, as I’m trying to write about forest industry responses to climate change.Mind you, it’d help if there were actual BC Forest Service researchers LEFT by 2013. We’ve had up here, not to mention some trouble with our politicians .