International Day of Forests on 21 March is a global day created by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012 to celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests.
Countries around the world are encouraged to organise activities involving forests and trees. These activities can be local, national and international efforts. The Secretariat of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), supports countries and organisations to host these activities.
Each year, the Collaborative Partnership on Forests selects a theme. The theme in 2025 was ‘Forests and Food’ and in 2026 the theme will be ‘Forests and Economies.’
Tree Cities of the World
The FAO and the Arbor Day Foundation have developed the Tree Cities of the World title. Each year, the FAO awards the title to cities that demonstrate a commitment to caring for their trees and forest.
The Tree Cities of the World programme celebrates greener cities and recognises when they show leadership in management of urban trees.
In 2024, Australia had 11 cities acclaimed as ‘Tree Cities of the World.'