An Opinion Piece on the ideologies Around Achieving Sustainability

Our Forests, Our future

Forests, since the inception of life on earth have always assumed a significant part in their relative roles of sustenance and maintenance of life forms and Bio-ecological cycles. Though quiet diversified are the relative forests types, their primary functions are however uniform even though they are attributively differentiated into the different geographical and ecological demarcations of the planet, thus, there exist, the Tropical rainforests, Boreal Sub-tropical rainforest, Temperate forest, Mediterranean forests, coniferous forests and Montane forests.

 Forest have overtime ensured a number of complementary benefits such that picturing life without these amazing green stands would have been largely termed  as Impossible or rather suicidal. Forests serves as the green lungs of our dear planet with their biological characteristics of maintaining a balance in air exchange and circulation such that they mop up the foul carbon dioxide as their own primary food producing prerequisite and in turn provide abundance  of life –giving oxygen; forests also serves as the shield for watersheds around the world and it no surprise that they help to ensure the provision of about 75% of global fresh water; forests have provided abodes for the numerous life forms on earth, essentially animals and of course man, while of course the economic and the social side of importance cannot be side-lined. The beneficial importance of forests is quite interconnected such that the ecosystem is never complete without them. In the more recent attribution, forests have been acknowledged as a vital frontline in the mitigation of climate change and thus assumed a notable view of functionality in providing adaptable options in this era of changing climate.

However, forests of the world have suffered a great deal at the hand of man from the various unsustainable means of exploitation and which has resulted in the loss of a great deal of the global forest estates. This is more pronounced in the ever increasing rate of deforestation that has led to the conclusive 20% forest related contribution to the global greenhouse gas emissions. For the reasons to protect the remaining forests tracts of the world, forest related issues have been subjected to the spotlight of attention at global and intergovernmental programs such that the focus is now shifted towards ensuring the most viable means of conservation in the view of ensuring sustainability.  This however calls for a lot of awareness and well guided calls for action thus, the United Nations general Assembly in 2012 birthed “The International Day of Forest”.

Sincerely Yours Earthly, Bamidele Oni

The International Day of Forest is often celebrated on the 21st day of every March with the motive of providing a platform to raise awareness of the importance of all forest types and trees outside of the forests. The event is often projected on the collaborative platform of the United Nations Forum on Forest and the Food and Agriculture organization of the United Nations. The theme for the 2015 edition is “ Forest & Climate Change” this theme was purposely chosen to highlight the  ways in which forests and climate change are linked and to rally global support  for greater action and change.

The whole world was made to realize the importance of this day as quite a lot of events organized by related organizations and individuals dotted the whole globe with the flags of solidarity jointed in unison with a common voice  for the protection of the values of our forest and in turn the survival of our planet. Yours sincerely (I) led an event which took place simultaneously in Nigeria, South Africa, Turkey and Germany with an idea of “Your voice for the forests” feedback from the event can however be viewed via the event page of the fan page of my organization (https://www.facebook.com/events/368319613355203/)and of course liking the page would be appreciated. And here is the link to the video piece on YouTube :( https://youtu.be/xmSUEvXXvM via@YouTubehttp://fb.me/1C6BG8AzA)  

Indeed, if we really want to sustain life, then protecting our forest should take a foremost part of our moves, the next climate change conference of parties must indeed take forest issues as important as other climate related issues; the rights of  women and indigenous people must be given credence; enough of the conversion of the forests to croplands; Forests must be included in climate mitigation and adaptation mechanism and strategies as the world forests can indeed serve as formidable frontlines against climate change.

  "It would be a lasting and unforgiving crime that we would all have to answer to if we strip bare this planet of its clothing of forests if we choose to ignore the call  to help save the remnants while we still could" The developing world should keep their relative rate of development at a pace that would balance out with the space for nature while the developed world should open up more avenues of support such that a global consensus is reached. The earlier the better for us most especially as nature does not need us as such, nature has been here way before us and its quite of a logical reasoning to conclude that nature would evolve and reclaim what it might have been stripped of.  We are the ones that need nature most and if it for one reason, we should be mindful of these words “if the last tree dies, and the last man dies” Help sustain our future, save our forests.

(Written for the International Day of Forest 2015 (#IntForestDay))

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