Forests have a strong place in human culture. They played a role in human evolution, are the subject of fairy tales, have been ancient and modern places of worship, are the settings for adventure movies and have always been a source of food and shelter. Most of us value forests, for whatever reason and wherever they are. And for many of us they provide inspiration.

Forests also have great economic value. They provide homes for indigenous peoples, habitat for some of our most dramatic plant and animal species and together they form the ‘green lung’ for our planet. Still we cut down huge areas of forest every year and fail to manage them sustainably or to replace them. Which is why the United Nations raises awareness about the importance of all types of forests every year, on the 21st of March. This year’s International Day of Forests is promoting education at all levels for people to ‘Learn to Love Forests’, emphasising the importance of learning and education in achieving sustainable forest management and biodiversity conservation.