International Day of Forests 2024

Today is International Day of Forests, as declared by the UN in 2012. The theme this year is Forests & Innovation and we’ll be joining the Forestry Department at ZNS Munsakamba to commemorate this important event this afternoon.

Zambia's National Forest Reserves are some of the nation's most important natural assets. These forests were designated as National Reserves to ensure the sustainable utilisation of forest resources and to conserve the biodiversity, ecosystem services and water catchment areas they provide (The Forests Act No. 4 of 2015).

Forests absorb carbon and stabilise the climate. Their roots prevent soil erosion and enrich soils. The forest ecosystem creates clouds that bring rain and stores water to fill our rivers and through these processes forests create the conditions necessary to grow crops to feed the population. Even partial deforestation changes the amount and distribution of rainfall and increases risks and uncertainty for agricultural production. Over 70% of Zambia’s population relies on agriculture for their livelihoods - protecting our National Forest Reserves is vital to ensure a future for all.