As 2010 came to a close, world leaders met in Cancun, Mexico to discuss new and ongoing issues in climate change and natural resource management.
In 2011, the United Nations plans to promote one particular aspect of the environment: the world’s forests.
The Year of the Forest, or Forests 2011, is a year-long campaign organized by the UN with the goal of raising awareness regarding sustainable management, conservation and development of all forests. Jan L. McAlpine, director of the United Nations forum on forests, said she believes every person has a strong connection to the health of our forest ecosystem.
“In Forests 2011, we will celebrate the functions that forests provide to people and the vital role they contribute to achieving any meaningful sustainable development,” McAlpine said in an email. “This celebration should bring us back to the understanding that people and our collective actions are key to a sustainable future,” she said.
McAlpine described the goals of Forests 2011 as “multi-layered,” saying the UN first and foremost wants to raise awareness on a global level regarding forests and the people that rely on them.
The UN is also launching the “Forest Heroes” programme, which celebrates the unsung heroes who dedicate their lives to sustainably managing forests around the world, McAlpine said.
She went on to say that the key to Forests 2011 lies in the activities being planned at a national, regional and local scale.
“Our approach is: we provide the platform, you provide the action,” McAlpine said.
Carleton University professor Stephan Schott, who specializes in natural resource management and sustainability, said he agrees with the UN’s declaration.
“I think forests are interesting because once we put more focus on them and understand their value, we will have a new total approach to developing our cities,” Schott said.
“I think it’s important to figure out how we can develop around these trees as part of our solution.”