The International Day of Forests 2026 shines a light on forests as indispensable economic drivers, fostering livelihoods and battling poverty globally.
Understanding the International Day of Forests 2026
The theme for the International Day of Forests 2026 is “Forests and Economies”. Forests are fundamental to livelihoods, thereby fostering poverty reduction and securing food systems for billions worldwide. For many rural communities across Sub-Saharan Africa, forests represent a primary source of income, food, and energy, particularly during economic crises or periods of environmental stress.
How the International Day of Forests was established
In 2012, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 21 March as the International Day of Forests (IDF). The aim of the day is to celebrate all types of forests and highlight their essential role for humanity and the environment. Forests contribute to the supply of timber and non-wood forest products (such as berries, mushrooms, resins), and to the provision of key ecosystem services, like erosion control, biodiversity conservation, and climate regulation.
Each year, countries worldwide are encouraged to undertake local, national, and international efforts to organise activities dedicated to forests and trees, such as tree-planting campaigns. The theme for each International Day of Forests changes annually and is chosen by the Collaborative Partnership on Forests.
The International Day of Forests 2026 theme: Forests and economies
Forests fuel the economy. From vital ecosystem services related to water, climate, and soil, to ecotourism, energy supply, and raw materials, forests contribute trillions to the global economy and support millions of jobs worldwide.
It is estimated that $44 trillion, over half of the world’s gross domestic product, depends on nature, including forests. Forested landscapes reduce the cost of producing clean water and, by storing carbon and moderating temperatures, help protect economies from climate-related disasters, which carry enormous economic and social burdens.
Up to 5.8 billion people globally use non-wood forest products for their sustenance and well-being. These products include food, medicines, resins, ornamental plants, and fodder. Together, they are worth at least $9.41 billion annually worldwide, and their value is set to grow further.
Healthy forests mean healthy communities. Forests are the backbone of the economy for many rural communities, providing food, medicine, fuel, and income, alongside crucial benefits such as cooling effects, water purification, and soil stabilisation.
Investing in the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of forests always pays off. Forest loss is costly: it leads to soil erosion, floods, costly climate damage, and loss of productivity. Such losses often far exceed short-term economic gains.
Women and sustainable economic forest management
In many forest communities, from Senegal to Ethiopia, women manage the forests daily. They gather food, fuel, and medicines for their families, and often generate income from these activities. Thanks to knowledge passed down through generations, women can recognise different plant species, understand seasonal patterns, and how to use forest resources without depleting them. According to the FAO, women worldwide can derive more than half of their income from forests, men around a third. Yet, this work often remains invisible.
Despite their commitment, women do not participate enough in decision-making processes concerning the forests they depend on. Alongside other partners, including the UN-REDD Programme and the Green Climate Fund, the FAO is working to enhance women’s role in forest management. This involves promoting beekeeping and agroforestry, which can reduce deforestation, and businesses specialising in bamboo and rattan, which foster sustainable economic activities. Furthermore, the FAO supports community nurseries that restore degraded lands and women-led forest cooperatives.
Through training, improved market access, and equal leadership opportunities, women can participate more actively in forest governance and responsible management. Protecting forests and addressing climate change means investing in women, because when women are involved, forests regenerate, and communities prosper.
The role of forests in the carbon cycle
Forests play a central role in the global carbon cycle. They are the biome with the highest carbon density (ranging from a few tens to several hundreds of tonnes per hectare). Covering 3.9 billion hectares, almost 30% of the Earth’s land surface, they constitute the most widespread terrestrial ecosystem on the planet. It is estimated that forests can store more than 1.1 trillion tonnes of carbon in various reservoirs: living biomass, dead organic matter, and soil.
These ecosystems continuously exchange enormous amounts of carbon with the atmosphere: they absorb carbon through photosynthesis and release it through plant and soil respiration, or due to natural or human-induced disturbances, such as forest fires, extreme weather events, pest and disease outbreaks, grazing, and logging.
ISPRA indicators and Italian commitment
The “Contribution of national forests to the global carbon cycle” indicator in ISPRA’s environmental indicators database analyses two key parameters:
- Carbon stock: the total amount of carbon stored in national forest reservoirs.
- Carbon sequestration/Stock change: the net balance between carbon sequestered and carbon released (emissions) due to logging, natural mortality, or forest fires.
Both are highly useful indicators for assessing the health, productivity, and resilience of forest resources, and also provide updated data on the level of conservation and sustainability of forest management. Finally, they define the strategic contribution of Italian forests to greenhouse gas mitigation and are crucial for achieving Italy’s emission reduction targets under the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
A small sign of hope: deforestation continues to decline
According to FAO assessments, since 1990, the planet has lost 489 million hectares of forest due to deforestation, but the rate of loss has slowed. In the period 2015-2025, the estimated deforestation rate was 10.9 million hectares per year, down from 13.6 million hectares per year in 2000-2015.
How will you best celebrate this day?
Share this article, join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #ForestDay. Spread this year’s messages or take a photo of your favourite forest and share it online.
