The cultural and symbolic importance of forest resources
Physically and mystically forests have defined communities throughout time. Forests feature in all aspects of culture: language, history, art, religion, medicine, politics, and even social structure itself. Trees, between the sky and earth, often symbolize links between the spiritual world of ancestors and people.
Forests cover one third of the Earth’s land mass and more than one-third is primary forest (naturally regenerated forests of native species, where there are no visible indications of human activities).
Two-thirds (66%) of forests are found in ten countries. And around 1.6 billion people – including more than 2,000 indigenous cultures – depend on forests for their livelihoods, fuel, food and shelter.
Forests are the most biologically-diverse ecosystems on land, home to more than 80% of the terrestrial species. Yet despite all of these priceless ecological, economic, social and health benefits, global deforestation continues at an alarming rate.
