World Rainforest Day 2023: Conserve, Restore, Regenerate for a Thriving Future

WORLD RAINFOREST DAY 2023: June 22 marks the World Rainforest Day, a global initiative aimed at raising awareness about the importance of rainforests, their biodiversity and the urgent need for their preservation. Check out history, significance, theme for this year and quotes here.

WORLD RAINFOREST DAY 2023 HISTORY

The roots of World Rainforest Day can be traced back to 2017 when the Rainforest Partnership, a non-profit environmental organization based in Austin, Texas, launched the global event. This initiative was aimed at raising awareness about the importance of rainforests and their invaluable contributions to the planet.

Over the years, World Rainforest Day has gained support from more than 70 global partners, including environmental advocates and media outlets. It has become an annual event held on June 22nd, endorsed by diverse organizations striving for positive action in preserving rainforests. The Rainforest Partnership is an affiliated member of the United Nations Economic and Social Council, further amplifying its mission.

WORLD RAINFOREST DAY 2023 SIGNIFICANCE

Rainforests are essential for maintaining the health of ecosystems and the survival of life on Earth. Despite covering only about 6% of the planet’s surface, rainforests are home to 50% of the world’s plant and animal species. Beyond their rich ecosystems, rainforests provide valuable resources and services. They serve as natural reservoirs, supplying freshwater and contributing to global water cycles.

Rainforests also act as significant carbon sinks, absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen, thus mitigating climate change. Moreover, these habitats harbor countless plant species with potential medicinal properties, making rainforests a treasure trove for future pharmaceutical discoveries.

WORLD RAINFOREST DAY 2023 THEME

The theme for this year’s World Rainforest Day is “Conserve. Restore. Regenerate.” It encapsulates the collective efforts required to ensure the long-term thriving existence of rainforests. The theme emphasizes the need for everyone to participate in the conservation and restoration of rainforests to guarantee their survival for centuries to come.

Conservation involves protecting intact rainforest areas, while restoration focuses on assisting the recovery of degraded or destroyed ecosystems. Regeneration encompasses various approaches, such as active tree planting or creating sustainable economic and agricultural systems that prioritize nature’s well-being.

WORLD RAINFOREST DAY 2023 QUOTES

1. Destroying rainforest for economic gain is like burning a Renaissance painting to cook a meal. – EO Wilson, American researcher, theorist, naturalist, and author
2. At first, I thought I was fighting to save rubber trees, then I thought I was fighting to save the Amazon rainforest. Now I realize I am fighting for humanity. — Chico Mendes, Brazilian Environmentalist
3. If man doesn’t learn to treat the oceans and the rainforest with respect, man will become extinct. —Peter Benchley, American author
4. The answer is simple. If we lose the world’s forests, we lose the fight against climate change. Rainforests are our Earth’s greatest utility – our planet’s lungs, thermostat and air-conditioning system. — Michael Somare, Former Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea
5. It’s hard to appreciate the importance of the rainforest because it seems so far away, but it’s vital to the survival of the planet as we know it. — Lily Cole, British model, author, film director, actress and entrepreneur.
6. We are destroying the world’s greatest pharmacy. It is very important that we protect the rainforest in everything that we do. — Chris Kilham, author, educator, and researcher of plant-based medicines.
7. The rainforest the world’s great laboratory, where discoveries that could change our lives still waiting to made. — Mark Plotkin, ethnobotanist and a plant explorer in the Neotropics.