Forests for People

Best of Festival “Queen of Trees”

Image: © Flat Dog Productions, Ltd

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Films and videos

Film is a powerful medium to inspire a sense of personal

responsibility and stewardship. The International Year

created the first ever International Forest Film Festival,

hosted by the United Nations Forum on Forests

Secretariat (UNFFS) in collaboration with the Jackson

Hole Wildlife Film Festival. The festival received nomi-

nations of 167 films from over 30 countries and winning

films were announced at the launch of Forests 2011.

2 billion hectares of land have potential for restoration, mostly in

tropical and temperate areas.

While forests have undeniable direct impacts on the lives of

forest-dependent communities, the well-being of all 7 billion of us,

physical, economic and spiritual, is also deeply intertwined with

the health of our forests. This growing awareness of the intercon-

nected nature of forests is part of the changing landscape at the

policy level and in public awareness.

Our planet’s most critical terrestrial biodiversity and wildlife

reside in forests. Managing protected forest areas also requires us to

ensure that local and indigenous communities have access to forest

resources. We cannot manage our forests by putting a fence around

them; people are a critical part of this equation.

‘Forests for People’ has been the theme for the International

Year and during the official launch, every speaker and feature film

stressed that people directly depend on forests for their well-being

and even survival. From mitigating climate change to providing

wood, medicines and the livelihoods of billions of people from

across the world, forests are at the centre of our existence.

The global launch of Forests 2011 was held in New York in February

2011. The ceremony, at the high-level segment of the UNFF, featured a

wide range of international speakers, including United Nations Under-

Secretary-General Sha Zukang, Nobel Peace laureate Wangari Maathai,

renowned filmmaker Yann Arthus-Bertrand and Felix Finkerbeiner,

founder of Plant-for-the-Planet, a network for school-age children.

This landmark publication, Forests for People, captures the spirit

of Forests 2011 by showcasing articles and stories from around the

world, reflecting how people are changing their interaction with

forests to sustainably manage these vital resources. It is very fitting

that it was decided to launch the book at the Forests 2011 closing

event at United Nations Headquarters, New York in January 2012

which will be a transision to future action.

Forests 2011 logo

The Forests 2011 logo was designed by United Nations

graphic designer Matias Delfino to convey the theme of

‘Forests for People’, celebrating the central role of people in

the sustainable management, conservation and sustainable

development of our world’s forests. The icons in the design

depict some of the multiple values of forests and the need for

a 360-degree perspective. Forests provide shelter to people

and habitat to biodiversity, are a source of food, medicine and

clean water, and play a vital role in maintaining a stable global

climate and environment. The logo has been translated into

over 50 local languages, and is being used by thousands of

local and international organizations.

Image: UNFFS