Date of Issue : 13 October 2011
On 13 October 2011, the United Nations Postal Administration will issue three mini-sheets of eight stamps to commemorate the International Year of Forests.
The global observance of the Year comes at a time when there has been a much wider recognition of the role that sustainably managed forests play in everything from mitigating climate change to providing wood, medicines and livelihoods for people around the world.
The world's forests cover one third of the Earth's land surface. Forests help to maintain the fertility of agricultural land, protect water sources and reduce the risks of natural disasters. They provide subsistence and income to about 350 million people who live within or near forests. Close to 1.6 billion people depend to some extent on forests for their livelihood.
The main theme for the International Year of Forests 2011 is "Forests for People". It highlights the dynamic relationship between forests and the people who depend on them. Everyone of us is connected to forests. Forests contribute to the balance of oxygen, carbon dioxide and humidity in the air. Over 40 % of the world's oxygen is produced from rainforests. A tree releases 8 to 10 times more moisture into the atmosphere than the equivalent area of the ocean. Forests protect watersheds which supply fresh water to rivers - a critical source of the water we drink and use in our daily lives.
Healthy forests sustain healthy people. Tropical forests provide a vast array of medicinal plants used in healing and health care. More than a quarter of modern medicines originate from tropical forest plants. Forests curb transmission of infectious diseases. Undisturbed tropical forests can have a moderating effect on the spread of insect- and animal-borne diseases.
The International Year of Forests 2011 offers a unique opportunity to raise public awareness of the challenges facing many of the world's forests and the people who depend on them. For more information, please visit www.un.org/forests and www.un.org/esa/forests.
