A subject book exhibition “Forests: efficient management, preservation and a sustainable development” timed to the International Year of Forests runs in the Official Documents Reading Room (2nd floor, room 207) from February 3 to March 2.

The International Year of Forests 2011 was proclaimed at the 83^rd plenary session of the United Nations General Assembly on December 20, 2006 (resolution 61/193). The Year of Forests is due to be opened at the ninth session of the United Nations Forest Forum that is taking place in New York from January 24 to February 4, 2011.

The major task of the International Year of Forests is to distribute information about the importance of forest ecosystems, their protection, reproduction and restoration.

31 % of the Earth surface is covered with forests. They are “lungs” of the planet. 13 % of the world forests are protected conservation areas. Forests play an exclusively important role in preservation of biological diversity of the Earth, being the habitat of about 3/4 of plants, animals and mushrooms of all kinds. Forests are part of cultural and historical environment which has formed cultures and customs of different peoples, and also they are a source of work and material welfare for a significant part of the world population.

The forest cover of the planet is steadily reducing. Daily we lose about 350 square kilometers of forests because of expansion of agricultural lands, construction of new settlements, and improper forest management. Fires, injurious insects, illnesses, adverse weather conditions and other reasons cause forest losses.

Reduction of forest cover leads to global negative processes: soil erosion, reduction of flora and fauna diversity, degradation of water pools, increase of carbon dioxides in the atmosphere, reduction of industrial and fuel wood, and finally – to reduction of human vital capacity.

Reduction of forest cover and forest degradation have become the international problem whose solution demands a joint effort of all countries of the world; therefore the International Year of Forests proclaimed by the United Nations, once again, will allow us to draw the world community’s attention to the issues of rational use, preservation and a sustainable development of all kinds of forests for the sake of present and future generations.

The Republic of Belarus has developed a program for International Year of Forests 2011. Implementation of this program will promote preservation and augmenting of timber resources of our country. Belarus is a forest country. More than 38 % of its territory is covered with forests. The total area of forest resources makes 9,4 million hectares. All forests in Belarus are sole property of the state. Thanks to a purposeful policy in the field of forest restoration and foresting, the area of forest cover increases, the structure and biological diversity of forests are kept, and their stability and efficiency grow.

The exhibition presents about 100 documents in Russian, English and German: books, brochures, the United Nations’ mimeographed documents, periodicals and booklets.

The exposition includes the subject sections as follow:

Forests and a sustainable development;
International legal documents concerning forest resources preservation and efficient management;
International and regional cooperation in the field of forest preservation;
Forests and their protection in the Republic of Belarus.

The exhibition is designed for specialists in forestry, nature management and environment protection, research workers, students and post-graduates, and all who is concerned with the issues of preservation of forests and biological diversity of the Earth.

Useful links

The National Library of Belarus offers the Landscape Festival timed to the International Year of Forests.

Forests: efficient management, preservation and a sustainable development

Informational resources

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