World Forest Day 2012

Tens of millions of local people already manage more than 27 million hectares of forestland in the Asia-Pacific region, often turning degraded land into productive forest. Community forestry, harnessed properly, can go beyond subsistence for local people and become a major resource for national development plans.

Local people have a direct stake in forest resources and will affect the outcome of any forest management strategy. Securing their rights is good for them, for forests, and for society at large.

Did you know?

• Deforestation and degradation contributes some 12-17% of global carbon dioxide emissions. Forests play a big role in slowing global warming and can mitigate the effects of climate change.
• ASEAN forests provide habitats for some 20% of the world’s plant and animal species.
• More than 25 % of the active ingredientas in today's cancer-fighting drugs come from organisms found only in the rainforest. The U.S. National Cancer Institute has identified more than 3,000 plants that are active against cancer cells, and 70 percent of these plants are found only in the rainforest.

In these ways and in many others, the world’s forests make life on earth possible. This year, RECOFTC – The Center for People and Forests is hosting several events in celebration of World Forest Day on March 21, 2011, and its 25 Silver Jubilee on March 27, 2012 to remind us all of the importance of protecting, nurturing, and conserving our forest resources.


World Forest Day celebrates the power and importance of forests, like this one in Vietnam. Photo Credit: Yurdi Yasmi

Photo Competition

Take part in our photography contest with beautiful and inspiring photos of forests, particularly those that tell the story of the relationship between people and forests. We encourage enthusiasts everywhere to send in their photographs to share this celebration of the world’s forests. Please have a look at our contest rules, fill out an entry form and submit your photographs! Deadline: 31 March 2012

Events

20 March 2012

RECOFTC’s Thailand Country Program will host a “think tank” event at our headquarters in Bangkok. Fifteen representatives of NGOs, CSOs, and RECOFTC partners will discuss preparations for proposing new policies on natural resource management, including long delayed forest and land tenure reforms in Thailand.

21 March 2012 – World Forest Day

RECOFTC’s Thailand Country Program will organize a policy dialogue platform on supporting mechanisms for forest landscape management for the poor. Approximately 40 policymakers, academics, community forest network representatives, and members of Thailand’s reform committee will participate.

22 March 2012

RECOFTC will organize a meeting of the Community Forestry Network – Thailand to discuss the action plan for the coming year, climate change and REDD+ training of trainers, and policy reform advocacy. The meeting will build on the events of 20 and 21 March to provide a clear roadmap for the Network to move forward.

27 March 2012

Four inspirational, award-winning films will be shown at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand from 19:00 – 21:00. Three films were originally shown at the International Forest Film Festival in New York in 2011, while the fourth was a winner of the Special Jury Prize at the 2011 Green Screen International Film Festival in Vancouver, British Columbia. The films were also shown at the Bangkok International Forest Film Festival in February, 2012.

Media invitation

31 March – 1 April 2012

To take our message to the wider public in Bangkok, we will participate in the Volunteer Street Fair, sharing videos and publications about our work in community forestry. Do visit our booth at Benjasiri Park, between Soi 22 and 24 near the Emporium shopping complex, for information and activities on both Saturday and Sunday. The park can be reached from Phrom Phong BTS station.

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