By The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
UNEP Europe Office
Aerial view of the Amazon Jungle, Brazil (2014) by © GRID-Arendal/Riccardo PravettoniOriginal Source: https://www.grida.no/resources/3126
What are forests?
Forests are areas covered by a high density of trees and vegetation. They cover about 30% of the land surface and can be found all around the world under very different climate conditions.
Yasuni National Park, Ecuador (2014) by © GRID-Arendal/Anne SolgaardOriginal Source: https://www.grida.no/resources/3086
Why are forests so important?
Forests are home to incredible biodiversity both over and under the ground.
They are vital for many species as they provide them with good shelter and a large quantity of food. Forests demonstrate the great interconnection between vegetal and animal species within an ecosystem.
Mangrove leaves, Abu Dhabi (2014) by © GRID-Arendal/Rob Barnes under licence from AGEDIOriginal Source: https://www.grida.no/resources/9010
From carbon to oxygen
Forests are important for the entire planet. Trees transform CO2 into very precious oxygen molecules that are breathed in by almost all living creatures on Earth: this is called photosynthesis.
Mindo-Nambillo Forest Reserve, Mid-elevation Cloud Forest, Western Slope of Andes, Ecuador (2014) by © GRID-Arendal/Peter ProkoshOriginal Source: https://www.grida.no/resources/3823
What are tropical forests?
Tropical forests are found in the land areas situated close to the tropics (Cancer and Capricorn). They are characterised by their very dense vegetation, their hot temperatures, and very high levels of humidity.
Pieridae Varios spec., Yasuni National Park, Ecuador (2014) by © GRID-Arendal/Peter ProkoshOriginal Source: https://www.grida.no/resources/3776
Rich and mysterious
Thanks to their favorable climatic conditions, tropical forests are a very rich ecosystem. Scientists estimate that the dense forests of the tropics are home to thousands of plant and animal species yet to be discovered.
Autumn birch forest in the mountains of Southern Norway (2014) by © GRID-Arendal/Peter ProkoshOriginal Source: http://www.grida.no/resources/4677
What are temperate forests?
Temperate forests can be found in regions with a mild climate. Unlike tropical and boreal forests (or taiga), temperate forests mainly consist of deciduous trees which lose their leaves in winter.
Beech forest, Germany (2014) by © GRID-Arendal/Peter ProkoshOriginal Source: https://www.grida.no/resources/3038
Diverse
Temperate forests are more numerous in the Northern Hemisphere, especially in Eastern Asia, Europe, and the Eastern USA. They are home to diverse wildlife including insects, birds, and mammals.
Large reindeer (Rangifer Tarandus) during herding, Finnmark, Norway, 2 (2010) by © GRID-Arendal/Lawrence HislopOriginal Source: https://www.grida.no/resources/2013
What are the Boreal forests?
Boreal forests (also known as Taiga) are typical of cold regions of the Northern hemisphere. These forests are constitutive of the Taiga ecosystems of Siberia, Scandinavia, and North America. They are home to numerous carnivores including grey wolves and grizzlies which feed on wapitis and reindeers.
Taiga forests are surrounding Rovaniemi, Finland (2013) by © GRID-Arendal/Peter ProkoshOriginal Source: https://www.grida.no/resources/4800
Coniferous climate
Due to the difficult climatic conditions, the vegetation is less diverse in Boreal forests where coniferous trees thrive thanks to their thin and long-lasting needles.
Mu Ko Lanta Marine National Park, Thailand (2015) by © GRID-Arendal/Peter ProkoshOriginal Source: http://www.grida.no/resources/3467
What are primary forests?
Primary forests are untouched and pristine forests that have grown and developed for centuries without any human interventions.
Tree harvesting machinery, Canada (2014) by © GRID-Arendal/Lawrence HislopOriginal Source: https://www.grida.no/resources/3122
What is agroforestry?
Agroforestry produces trees for timber or food. The goal is to reproduce ecosystem services on an industrial scale to meet human needs and habits. When trees of the same species are planted on a large surface to be exploited: it is called mono-culture.
Winter Spruce Forest (2014) by © GRID-Arendal/Peter ProkoshOriginal Source: https://www.grida.no/resources/3013
Mono-culture
When tree mono-cultures are planted for agroforestry, it does not create a diverse forest. Diversity is essential for a balanced forest ecosystem.
Forests For Nature: The State of the World's Forests (2020) by © UNEPOriginal Source: https://www.youtube.com/c/UNEnvironmentProgramme/search?query=forests
Experienced indigenous guides inspire eco-tourists at Napo Wildlife Center, Yasuni National Park, Ecuador (2014) by © GRID-Arendal/Peter ProkoshOriginal Source: https://www.grida.no/resources/3770
Indigenous peoples
Tropical, temperate, and boreal forests are home to indigenous populations. Forests provide important materials such as timber and food. The few indigenous populations still living in forests are threatened by deforestation and expropriation (forest land taken by authorities).
Cleared land for agriculture in the Amazon Jungle, Brazil (2014) by © GRID-Arendal/Riccardo PravettoniOriginal Source: http://www.grida.no/resources/3127
Main threats to forests
Forests are both the direct and indirect victims of human activities.
- Agriculture and mining destroy 10 million hectares of forests every year
- Unsustainable timber exploitation
- Climate change threatens plants and animals by changing their living conditions
Agricultural fires, Madagascar (2012) by © GRID-Arendal/Peter ProkoshOriginal Source: https://www.grida.no/resources/1292
Forest fires
Large-scale fires have been increasing dramatically in the last decade, destroying hundreds of thousands of hectares in Siberia, Australia and California where 11% of the land has been burned since 2010.
Madagascar Green Pigeon (Treron australis), Toliara, Madagascar (2012) by © GRID-Arendal/Peter ProkoshOriginal Source: https://www.grida.no/resources/1302
Take action!
Healthy forests are essential for the survival of millions of species as well as human beings! Let’s change our habits to preserve some precious hectares of forest. Plant trees, buy forest friendly products, support forest conservation and enjoy forests without littering.
Additional learning resources
- UNEP Forests
- Toppr: Forest Ecosystem
- UN Decade - Forests
- UN Chronical: Forest Restoration: A Path to Recovery and Well-Being
- IUCN: Community Organizing - Toolkit on Ecosystems Restoration
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Europe Office
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