A year to remenber: The United Nations has designated 2011 as the Intemational Year of Forests, and hopes to encourage people to see the vital role they play in every aspect of our lives

摘要

The theme of the United Nations International Year of Forests 2011 is 'Forests for People', putting the spotlight on those dependent on forests for their survival. Not only are forests one of the most important global indicators of climate change, butthey continue to be an essential source of wood, medicine and livelihood for billions of people round the world.Launching the year, the director of the UN Forum on Forests, Jan McAlpine, pointed out that 'every one of us, all seven billion people on earth, has our physical, economic and spiritual health tied to the health of our forest ecosystems'. But forests have an even more direct impact on the estimated 60 million people who actually live within them and who rely on forests for their very survival, such as the Penan people, thelast remaining tribe of hunter-gatherers in Malaysia.