Japan introduced the practice of shinrin-yoku, or “forest bathing” to the world. According to a 2010 study published in Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, spending time in a forest gives people a sense of peace and relaxation, and also boosts immune system activity[3].

Trees and plants also contain essential oils that protect them from bacteria and insect predators. Breathing in these oils increases the production of protective cells in humans, which target viruses and other diseases.

As forests shrink, more and more species are at risk of extinction. In fact, the IUCN suggests that approximately 15,000 vulnerable and endangered species live in tropical rainforests and subtropical forest habitats. And it’s not just deforestation that puts them at risk: many areas suffer from ongoing forest degradation. Over time, that adds up to a severely damaged ecosystem, and creates more opportunities for deforestation.

Forest gorillas, chimpanzees, gibbons, jaguars, harpy eagles, and toucans are just a few examples of species whose survival depends on healthy forest ecosystems.

Forests are not just home to wildlife. They also provide homes and sustainable livelihoods for local communities around the world. Indigenous peoples like the Miskito and Mayangna have lived in the forests of Central America for millennia. And millions of people live next to forests and depend on them for income or natural resources, like fruit, timber, coffee beans, or tree sap.

That’s also why forests are so critical to achieving the world’s Sustainable Development Goals.

All plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen back into the air during photosynthesis. Living forests absorb and store a huge amount of carbon, using it as a nutrient. According to a study published in Science, tropical forests hold more carbon than humanity has emitted over the past 30 years by burning coal, oil, and natural gas[5]!

When trees are cut down, all of their stored carbon is released back into the atmosphere, worsening climate change. It’s why the United Nations created the REDD+ model that we use. REDD stands for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation, and it puts a financial value on carbon sequestration. That’s what allows us to change the economic drivers of deforestation that lead to forest loss.

Forests play an important role in saving water. When rain falls into a forest, the canopy keeps water from evaporating immediately. The dense root system also ensures that the water soaks into the soil. There, it can trickle into the groundwater supply, rather than immediately pouring into a stream. Of course, that increases the risk of flooding. But to make matters worse, the water is immediately lost to the river (and eventually to the ocean). On the other hand, refilling groundwater creates a reliable water supply for humans and animals living near the forest.

The deep and complex root systems of a natural forest play a key role in the water cycle. But that’s not all: they also protect the soil from erosion. Without forest plants and stabilizing roots, topsoil could be blown away by wind or washed away by rainwater. Soil erosion is dangerous because it fills waterways with soil. This is not just harmful to river ecosystems, but it can also increase the risk of flooding, plus ruin farmland.