Trees are as close to immortality as the rest of us ever come

While President Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna government are focusing on elections amidst controversy and confusion over whether the General Election will be held before the Presidential Election or the Executive Presidential system should be scrapped as the then-Presidential candidate Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga promised to do so but never did, the government and the people need to focus more on vital issues such as the forests.
Today, the United Nations (UN) marks the International Day of Forests. In a statement, the world body said that innovation and technology have revolutionized forest monitoring, enabling countries to track and report on their forests more effectively. About 13.7 billion tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂) forest emission reductions or enhancements have been reported to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change through transparent and innovative forest monitoring.

The theme for this year is ‘Forests and Innovation: New Solutions for a Better World’. According to the UN, the battle against deforestation requires new technological advancements. With 10 million hectares lost annually due to deforestation, and about 70 million hectares affected by fires, these innovations are essential for early warning systems, sustainable commodity production and empowering Indigenous Peoples through land mapping and climate finance access.
Additionally, ecosystem restoration, including reforestation efforts, can significantly contribute to climate mitigation and enhance food security while pushing the boundaries of sustainable wood products.
The UN says that forests are home to 80% of all known amphibian species. More than 30% of new diseases reported since 1960 are attributed to land use change, including deforestation. Forests contain over ½ the global carbon stock in soils and vegetation. An area roughly the equivalent of 14 million football pitches is lost every year to deforestation. Furthermore, insect pests damage around 35 million hectares of forest annually. Forested watersheds and wetlands provide 75% of the world´s accessible freshwater.
According to the UN, the General Assembly proclaimed March 21 as the International Day of Forests in 2012 to celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests. Countries are encouraged to undertake local, national and international efforts to organize activities involving forests and trees, such as tree planting campaigns.
The organizers are the United Nations Forum on Forests and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), in collaboration with Governments, the Collaborative Partnership on Forests and other relevant organizations in the field.
In 2010, Sri Lanka had 3.53 Mha (megahectare-a unit of land area equal to one million hectares) of natural forests, extending more than 54% of its land area. In 2022, it lost 8.40 kha (kilohectare-  a unit of land area equal to 1000 hectares of natural forest), equivalent to 3.40 Mt of CO₂ emissions.
According to a report by an international group known as Global Forest Watch, from 2002 to 2022, Sri Lanka lost 10.7 kha of humid primary forest, making up 5.2% of its total tree cover loss in the same time period. Total area of humid primary forest in Sri Lanka decreased by 1.8% in this time period.
From 2001 to 2022, Sri Lanka lost 210 kha of tree cover, equivalent to a 5.3% decrease in tree cover since 2000, and 77.7 Mt of CO₂ emissions. In Sri Lanka, as of 2010, the top 8 regions represent 51% of all tree cover. Anuradhapura had the most tree cover at 319 kha compared to an average of 141 kha.

Global Forest Watch also noted that from 2001 to 2022, Sri Lanka lost 2.54 kha of tree cover from fires, and 208 kha from all other drivers of loss. The year with the most tree cover loss due to fires during this period was 2009 with 288 ha lost to fires — 2.1% of all tree cover loss for that year.
American biologist and naturalist Edward Osborne Wilson said that there can be no purpose more enspiriting than to begin the age of restoration, reweaving the wondrous diversity of life that still surrounds us.
According to American writer Karen Joy Fowler, trees are as close to immortality as the rest of us ever come.