World Forest Day - March 21, 2023

By : Neha Dhyani

Updated : Mar 7, 2023, 10:25

World Forest Day is celebrated on March 21 every year to raise awareness about the importance of forests around the world. Every year, the United Nations Forum on Forests and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) organize events on this day. The United Nations General Assembly recognized March 21 as World Forest Day in 2013.

Forests cover one-third of the earth's land and around 1.6 billion people and more than 2,000 indigenous tribes depend on forests for fuel, food, medicines, and shelter. Therefore, it is important to conserve the forests around us. Learn more about World Forest Day, its theme, and its significance here.

World Forest Day 2023

On World Forest Day, a number of events raising awareness about the importance of forests are held. This day is organized by the United Nations Forum on Forests and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) every year. Realizing the need to conserve forests worldwide, the United Nations established the International Day of Forests in 2013.

Organisations from all the countries are encouraged to organise various events to educate people about the impact of depleting forests on this day. We have shared an overview of World Forest Day here.

Day	International Day of Forests
Observed	March 21
Established By	United Nations General Assembly
Established In	2013
World Forest Day 2023 Theme	Forests and Health
Aim	To encourage people and leaders to conserve forests and use forest resources sustainably.

World Forest Day 2023 Theme

Every year on International Day of Forests, the United Nations announces a new theme. The theme helps event organizers to keep the topic of discussion the same throughout the world. This year, the World Forest Day theme 2023 is “Forests and Health.”

This year’s World Forest Day 2023 theme highlights the important resources we get from forests to renew our health. These resources could be medicinal plants, food, or just clean, fresh air. We have shared some of the previous year’s World Forest Day themes here.

World Forest Day Theme 2022

Last year, the World Forest Day theme 2022 was "Forests and sustainable production and consumption."
This theme highlighted the need to approach production and consumption strategies sustainably.
World Forest Day theme 2022 was about helping people identify the contribution of forests in fulfilling our needs.

World Forest Day Theme (2014-2023)

Check out some of the previous year’s World Forest Day themes from the table shared below:

Year	World Forest Day Theme
2023	“Forests and Health.”
2022	"Forests and sustainable production and consumption."
2021	"Forest restoration: the path to recovery and welfare."
2020	“Forests and Biodiversity: Too precious to lose.”
2019	"Forests and Education."
2018	"Forests and Sustainable Cities."
2017	"Forests and Energy."
2016	"Forests and Water."
2015	"Forests \| Climate \| Change."
2014	"My Forest \| Our Future."

International Forest Day - Significance

World Forest Day is a significant event because it raises awareness about the importance of forests for human existence. Here are some other reasons why this day is considered significant:

Almost all aspects of our life are related to forests.
Sustainable management of forests and their resources is the only way to deal with climate change and preserve the future of our coming generations.
International Day of Forests is a wake-up call for global leaders to take action against climate change.
This day is a reminder that we should revere forests for the resources they provide us with.

World Forest Day - History

The history of the International Day of Forests can be traced back to November 28, 2013, when the United Nations General Assembly established the day. Find out more about the history and timeline of this day here:

At the 16th session of the Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), March 21 was established as World Forestry Day.
In 2007, the first World Forest Day was inaugurated in Indonesia.
By 2013, this day was being celebrated as an international day and was adopted by the United States.
Since 2013, World Forest Day has been celebrated by all the member states of the United Nations every year.

How to Celebrate International Day of Forests?

Given below are some ways in which you can celebrate the International Day of Forests on March 21:

Recycling and reusing - On this day, people should encourage the recycling and reusing of old products.

Promoting sustainable choices - Consume less, eat sustainable food, try to use recycled products made of wood or paper, etc. to send a message of sustainable living.

Join organisations - On World Forest Day, you can join various agencies such as conservation, rainforest, and NGOs protecting nature that come together and join hands with a common goal to save the forest.

Sensitisation and education campaigns - By educating people about the harm that deforestation would bring, we can encourage them to use forest resources sustainably.
Start community forestry - World Forest Day can be a great occasion to start community forestry. It means planting trees locally in schools, colleges, universities, etc. By this means, every surrounding area can be safe, and sustainability can be attained.

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FAQs on World Forest Day

Q1. When do we celebrate World Forest Day?

World Forest Day is celebrated on March 21 every year. The United Nations General Assembly recognized March 21 as World Forest Day in 2013. This day is celebrated to raise awareness about forests, the resources that they offer and their importance in tackling climate change.

Q2. What is the theme of World Forest Day 2023?

World Forest Day Theme 2023 is “Forests and Health.” This theme helps people realize that all aspects of our life are related to forests. Therefore, sustainable management of forests and their resources is the only way to deal with climatic change and preserve the future of our coming generations.

Q3. Who started World Forest Day?

The United Nations General Assembly established World Forest Day in 2013 to encourage everyone to conserve forests. Since then, the United Nations Forum on Forests and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) have been hosting events on World Forest Day.

Q4. Why is World Forest Day celebrated?

World Forest Day aims to raise awareness about the importance of forests. Organisations from all the countries are encouraged to organise various events to educate people about the impact of depleting forests. World Forest Day is an occasion to encourage people to use forest resources sustainably.

Q5. What was the theme of World Forest Day 2022?

World Forest Day Theme 2022 was "Forests and sustainable production and consumption." This theme highlighted the need to approach production and consumption strategies sustainably. The United Nations announces a new World Forest Day theme every year.