Saturday 21 March was the 2015 International Day of Forests so this month I celebrate
that conglomeration of trees and undergrowth we variously label a forest,
jungle, woods or woodland or, in my native New Zealand, bush.
 |
| Delamere Forest |
If anyone needs
convincing as to why we need to stop deforestation and create more forests
around the world, here are some of the reasons:
 |
| Royd Wood, Tabley |
ü
Forests are the most biologically diverse
ecosystems on our land masses.
ü
Forests provide a home to more than 80% of our
terrestrial species of plants, insects and animals.
ü
Forests protect the watersheds that provide 75%
of the world’s fresh water.
ü
Forests play a vital part in our adaptation to
and prevention of global climate change.
ü
Forests provide shelter and jobs to
forest-dependant communities.
ü
More than one billion people around the world depend
on forests and trees for their food and income.
ü
Forests are the earth’s lungs, contributing to the
balance of oxygen, carbon dioxide and humidity in the air.
ü
Each year every person in the world eats about
11kg of food from forests (leaves, fruit, mushrooms, honey, etc).
ü
Forests and trees are the source of many
medicines, treating illnesses like malaria, heart disease and cancer.
As UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says, ‘To build a sustainable,
climate-resilient future for all, we must invest in our world's forests. That
will take political commitment at the highest levels, smart policies, effective
law enforcement, innovative partnerships and funding.’
 |
| Wood near Gravestones Farm, Pickmere |
We
are blessed with some lovely forests and woodlands near where I’m currently living,
in the English county
of Cheshire
 |
| Woodlands at Tatton Park, Knutsford |
 |
| A new planting at Spud Wood, near Lymm |
 |
| Woodland near Comberbach |
 |
| Holford Moss, near Plumley |
 |
| Arboretum at Marbury Country Park, near Northwich |
 |
| Mill Wood, Arley |
No comments:
Post a Comment