The United Nations observes March 21st as the International Day of Forests (IDOF) to highlight the importance of forests around the world and recap their important role in our daily lives.

Head of the Department of Forestry at the Fiji National University, Doctor Pramod Nair says forests are deleteriously affected by a rapid increase in the world population and advances in industrialization, which both create intense pressure on natural resources, especially the production and consumption of forest-based products.

Dr Nair says sustainable management practices are important at this stage because they help society to manage natural resources wisely without exploitation, and to provide a good and clean environment for future generations.

Dr Nair says Fiji’s policies are on a promising track to sustain our forests.

Fiji was accepted into the World Bank’s Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) in July 2019.The Ministry of Forestry started Fiji’s tree planting initiative in early 2019, aiming to achieve a plantation target of 30 million trees in 15 years.

He adds that the forestry sector plays an integral role in Fiji’s economy where plantations and native forests provide raw materials to the private sector involved in harvesting and timber processing, creating employment opportunities.

The theme of the 2022 International Day of Forests is – Forests and sustainable production and consumption.