The thematic exhibition “Forest Resources of the Planet: Protection and Sustainable Use” dedicated to the International Day of Forests is held from March 19 to April 29 in the International Organizations reading room (2nd floor, room 207g).
This day was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly on December 21, 2012 (resolution A/RES/67/200) and is celebrated annually on March 21 since 2013.
The value of forests in human life can not be overestimated. Forests are a source of wood, food, fuel, fiber, livestock feed and other non-wood products. They participate in shaping the planet’s climate, provide oxygen, recycle polluting emissions, conserve water resources, serve as habitats for plants and animals, provide food and a healthy environment for people, and help preserve soil fertility and landscapes.
Now forests occupy 30% of the land on Earth, or almost 4 billion hectares. Sustainable forest management are healthy, productive, resilient, and renewable ecosystems that provide the necessary goods and services to people all over the world. According to estimates 1.6 billion people, or 25% of the world's population, depend on forest as a source of livelihood, affecting employment and income generation.
However, despite all these invaluable environmental, economic, social, and medical properties, global deforestation continues at an alarming rate – 13 million hectares each year. Deforestation accounts for 12% – 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions contributing to global warming.
The UN promotes the rational use in every way, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests. In October 2000 a high-level intergovernmental body, the UN Forum on Forests, was established. Its functions have been to promote the management, conservation and sustainable development of forests, as well as the strengthening of relevant long-term political commitments.
On January 20, 2017 a special session of the UN Forum on Forests took place, at which the first ever Strategic Plan on Forests for 2017–2030 was adopted. The plan reflects the UN approach to building a world in which all types of forests will be used rationally for the benefit of sustainable development. The basis of the Plan consists of 6 global goals, among which is the termination of the reduction of forest cover; enhancing the economic, social and environmental benefits of forests; increase in the number of protected forest areas; mobilization of financial resources for forest purposes; improved forest management systems; expansion of cooperation between all interested participants, as well as 26 tasks related to their implementation. The plan envisages an increase of 120 million hectares of world forests by 2030, which equals double the territory of France.
Each year a specific theme is chosen for the International Day of Forests. The theme for Day in 2019 is “Learn to Love Forests”.
Forests are one of the main renewable natural resources and the most important national wealth in the Republic of Belarus. Forests and forest resources have great importance for the sustainable socio-economic development of the country, ensuring economic, energy, environmental and food security. For a number of key indicators characterizing the forest fund, Belarus is among the top ten forest states in Europe.
More than 80 documents in Russian and English are represented at the exhibition. Most part of the exposition consists of documents of international organizations: books, brochures, mimeographed materials of the UN, periodicals.
The exposition includes the following thematic sections:
- Forests and sustainable development
- International legal documents on the conservation and rational use of forest resources
- International and regional cooperation in the field of conservation of all types of forests
- Forests and their protection in the Republic of Belarus
The exhibition will be interesting for specialists in the field of forestry, environmental management and environmental protection, researchers, graduate students, students and all those who are interested in the conservation of forests and biological diversity of our planet.
Useful links:
International Day of Forests (21 March)
International Year of Forests 2011
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United States
Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Belarus
Documents and Publications:
Reports on UN Forum on ForestsReport of the Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Panel on Forests
The State of the World’s Forests
The opening hours of the exhibition corresponds to the library’s opening hours.
Entrance to the exhibition is available by the library ticket or ticket of the library's social and cultural center.
For more info: (+375 17) 293 27 34.
Е-mail: pr@nlb.by
