In 2025, the theme of the International Day of Forests is “Forests and Food,” emphasizing the crucial role that forests play in food security, nutrition, and livelihoods. Forests provide food, fuel, income, and employment, support soil fertility, protect water resources, and offer habitats for biodiversity. They are essential for the survival of forest-dependent communities, particularly Indigenous Peoples, and contribute to mitigating climate change by storing carbon.
Forests are the foundation of food security and nutrition for millions of families worldwide. They provide essential foods such as fruits, seeds, roots, and wild meat, which are vital for Indigenous and rural communities.
However, their role goes far beyond that. Forests are an important source of energy, providing wood for cooking, and they play a key role in agriculture by supporting pollinators and enriching soils. They regulate the climate and conserve biodiversity. Forest watersheds supply fresh water to more than 85% of the world’s major cities. In times of crisis, forests become an economic and food lifeline, contributing up to 20% of household income in rural areas and ensuring healthy diets.
But these ecosystems are in danger. Every year, we lose 10 million hectares of forest due to deforestation, and approximately 70 million hectares are affected by fires. Protecting and restoring forests is an urgent and necessary measure – the well-being of our planet and future generations depends on them.
The loss of forests also means the loss of irreplaceable habitats for plants and animals. Their restoration is a primary goal of the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB) through projects such as “LIFE for Eagle’s Habitats” and “From Iron Curtain to Green Belt: restoring ecological networks in Southeast Bulgaria”.
The date of the International Day of Forests was established at the initiative of the 23rd session of the European Confederation of Agriculture, held in November 1971, and was supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in 1972. On this day, March 21, the world’s attention is once again focused on the effective management and conservation of all forests on our planet, with their rich plant and animal diversity.